Alyssa Healy, the Australia captain, has said that it would be morally wrong to play in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 if the tournament is held in Bangladesh. This comes after the riots and regime change in the Asian nation after recent protests.
The tournament's fate is in the balance, with organizers expected to decide as soon as Tuesday whether to transfer it away from Bangladesh. Australia and India have already ruled out hosting the tournament at such short notice.
More than 400 people have been killed in Bangladesh since last month, during rallies against a quota system that reserves public employment for the children of independence fighters.
According to the UN, at least 65 of the dead were juveniles, and long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled and resigned. Bangladesh’s Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus has taken over as head of an interim government.
Healy said she felt it would not be right for her side and others to be playing in Bangladesh amid the turmoil, with the country currently on the Australian government's do-not-travel list.
"I'd find it hard to fathom playing there at the moment, as a human being, I feel like it might be the wrong thing to do. That would be) taking resources away from a country that is struggling. They need everyone they can get in there to help people that are dying.
There's obviously bigger factors at play than putting a cricket tournament on in Bangladesh at the moment ... but I'll leave it to the ICC to work out,” Healy was quoted by cricket.com.au.
Australia will announce their championship defense roster next Monday, with fit-again fast Tayla Vlaeminck making a compelling case for selection. Fellow quick Darcie Brown is also anticipated to be available following a stress fracture in her foot.
However, administrators would want to know the tournament's site before selecting the team tasked with capturing a fourth consecutive T20 championship. Australia last played in Bangladesh in March and April, although most of the tour was spent in hotels.
Alyssa Healy said that Australia will be ready to play on turning wickets in UAE, who are the front runners to host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
"Going there and getting used to those conditions and slow-turning wickets has probably put us in a good place. It's more about what our team looks like, and what people are working on individually headed into a World Cup on the subcontinent.
Whether it is in Bangladesh, or it's not in Bangladesh, I don't think affects us greatly with the make-up of what we've got. We're well prepared for whatever is thrown at us,” she said.
