International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson has welcomed England`s decision to go ahead with their tour of Bangladesh, saying it was important to have the global game ‘played safely’ in as many countries as possible.
Richardson, in a statement issued from the world governing body’s Dubai headquarters on Saturday, added that following England`s decision the ICC would make its own security arrangements to ensure the safety of their match officials.
The future of the tour was called into question after an attack on a Dhaka cafe last month saw 20 - mostly foreign - hostages killed, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility.
However, the England and Wales Cricket Board said Thursday the tour, which includes two Test and three one-day international matches in October, would go ahead as planned.
The confirmation followed a visit to Bangladesh by an ECB delegation, led by their long-serving security chief Reg Dickason.
The Australian briefed the England players on Thursday about the situation in Dhaka and the port city of Chittagong -- the venues for the tour.
‘It is important to the global game of cricket that it can be played safely in as many countries as possible,’ said Richardson.