Bangladesh Cricket Chief Says Political Violence Threatens Next Year's Twenty20

Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan said that next year's World Twenty20 "is threatened by the country's deadly political violence, warning there may only be weeks to save the tournament," according to the AFP. The 16-team competition, due to take place between March 16 and April 6, "should be the biggest sporting event ever staged by Bangladesh." But the country has been gripped by violent protests in recent weeks, with opposition supporters insisting that PM Sheikh Hasina "stand aside ahead of elections due next year." More than 74 people "have been killed since late October." Hassan said, "If this situation prevails, then any big tournament or participation of any big country will be under threat." The political violence "has affected almost every city in Bangladesh, including the three host venues for the T20 tournament" -- the capital Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet (AFP, 12/10).