Mumbai, Jan. 6 -- India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka co-hosting the 1996 ODI World Cup is a distant memory - an event far removed from the realities of the day. Those were the days when there was a strong Asian block in international cricket affairs. Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) refusal to play its matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup in India is the latest flashpoint in a series of off-field slug fests between cricket boards that have kept the game's backroom managers exercised to ensure an uninterrupted flow of International Cricket Council's (ICC) world events, now staged annually. Bangladesh want their World Cup matches shifted to Sri Lanka, citing security reasons as a response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directing Kolkata Knight Riders to release fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, the only Bangladeshi player in the league ahead of IPL 2026. In the absence of a resolution, a late schedule change means ICC is staring at a logistical nightmare. Bangladesh were scheduled to play four Group C league matches - three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. A relocation would mean co-hosts Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh all play their matches in Sri Lanka. That could force Australia's league matches to be shifted to India. If Bangladesh qualify for Super 8 from Group C - the top two among England, Bangladesh, West Indies, Nepal and Italy will go through - it would mean further tweaks to the schedule. Fans and commercial partners already live with the unknown of the semi-final and final venue with India and Pakistan refusing to play on each other's soil. Bangladesh too joining will further complicate things. During last year's Champions Trophy -- India played all their games in Dubai -- group toppers South Africa had to fly out to Dubai from Karachi after playing the previous day to give themselves enough time for the semi-final. But South Africa did not have to play there after India topped their group and took the flight back to Lahore, where they lost to New Zealand in the semis. As things stand, tailor-made schedules for ICC and Asian Cricket Council tournaments seem to be the new normal. To cater to broadcast demands and sustain world cricket finances, three men's cricket events in an 8-year cycle are staged in India. The 2027 U19 World Cup has Bangladesh and Nepal as co-hosts. The 2029 Champions Trophy is to be played in India, and India and Bangladesh have been named co-hosts of the 2031 ODI World Cup. Off-field matters also have a spillover effect on T20 franchise leagues. There are no Pakistan players in Cricket South Africa's SA20 where all franchise owners are Indian. Four players from Pakistan - Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Hasan Nawaz and Usman Tariq -- played in ILT20, but all for Desert Vipers, which does not have Indian ownership. Four of the eight owners in The Hundred in England also own IPL teams. Cricket Australia's Big Bash League is contemplating private investment and has been in touch with IPL owners. Rahman being picked in the IPL auction sparked a chain reaction. "You never know when availability may become an issue. Mustafizur wasn't in our plans for that reason," said an official from an IPL franchise. That said, bidding for Rahman went up to Rs.9.2 crore because three franchises showed interest despite the unrest in Bangladesh impacting India-Bangladesh relations....