Bangladesh announce a change after original kit did not prominently feature traditional red
Bangladesh change Cup kit after outcry
Bangladesh have altered its World Cup strip to add a touch of red following uproar over the initial design, which some had likened to rival Pakistan's kit.
The national flag of Bangladesh is red and green, but the Tigers' jersey unveiled on Monday (shown in the photo above) was predominantly green with a touch of white.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) spokesman Jalal Yunus said the ICC, cricket's world governing body, had originally asked it to drop the red colour due to "commercial complications", but relented following a subsequent request from the BCB.
"It made the jersey green and white. But people wanted a touch of red in the jersey. So we requested the ICC again and they accepted our request," he told AFP.
The jersey has been changed by the BCB. pic.twitter.com/Ts2Lj9Lexo%E2%80%94 Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) April 30, 2019
The original design had featured the names of players and the word Bangladesh in red, Yunus noted.
Social media was awash with complaints after the strip was unveiled, with former BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury among those to criticise the original design.
"Red and green, our national flag colours, have always been reflected in jerseys of @BCBtigers over the years. So very sad this is no longer so," Chowdhury tweeted.
Many cricket fans saw a similarity with the jersey of Pakistan, from which Bangladesh became independent after a bloody war in 1971.
But BCB president Nazmul Hassan, also known as Papon, blasted the suggestion that the resemblance of Pakistan jersey prompted the swift change in design.
"Bangladesh is written on the jersey, how can you confuse it with Pakistan?" Nazmul asked reporters in a press conference on Tuesday.
Introducing the new shirt to take on the worlds best! The countdown is on for the World Cup! https://t.co/qIL117ecce #ReachTheUnreachable #MoveAsOne @CricketAus @Gmaxi_32 pic.twitter.com/fj2ZqoD6oY%E2%80%94 ASICS Australia (@ASICSaustralia) April 9, 2019
"After seeing the Tigers' picture and BCB logo if someone thinks that it's not Bangladesh's jersey but Pakistan's then I think that person should stay in Pakistan," he said.
Bangladesh left home on Wednesday and will open their World Cup campaign against South Africa at the Oval on June 2.
First they will play a tri-series in Ireland from May 5-17 along with Ireland and fellow World Cup participants the West Indies.
The World Cup begins on May 30.
2019 World Cup
Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton
May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton
June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)
June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge
June 9: India v Australia, The Oval
June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton
June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval
June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge
June 25: England v Australia, Lord's
June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)
July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)
July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford
July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston
July 14: Final, Lord's
For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE