Bangladesh cricketers skip Gwalior mosque visit, hold Friday prayers at team hotel ahead of 1st T20I vs India

Bangladesh skipped visiting the Moti Masjid in Gwalior, and instead offered their Friday prayers at the team hotel.

India and Bangladesh are scheduled to begin their T20I series on Sunday, with the first match to be held in Gwalior. Ahead of the match, the Bangladesh squad have found themselves in fresh controversy.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto during a training session. (PTI)

According to PTI, the squad did not visit the city's Moti Masjid on Friday, and instead did their prayers at their hotel. Gwalior Zone Inspector General Arvind Saxena further revealed that elaborate security arrangements were made for the team, but they didn't turn up. The mosque is located in the Phoolbagh area, which is about 3 km from the team hotel of the Bangladesh cricket team.

"We had made elaborate security arrangements around Moti Masjid but the Bangladesh team did not turn up. No organisation had given any call to disrupt their visit," he said.

Security tightened in Gwalior

Security has been beefed up in Gwalior after a call for a city-wide bandh on match day by right-wing groups in protest to the alleged violence on Hindus in Bangladesh, since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government.

Saxena also revealed that the city's Shahar Qazi went to the hotel and led the visiting cricketers in offering their Friday prayer between 1 pm and 2:30 pm.

"Providing security to the visiting team over just 3 km was never an issue from our side," he said.

Over 2,500 police personnel are being used for the first T20I in Gwalior, according to the official. Police will also be on the streets in the city, from 2 pm. They will be on duty till fans reach home after the match.

Speaking ahead of the match, Bangladesh captain Shanto Najmul Hossain revealed his team's ambition, and also hoped to play 'aggressive cricket'.

"We are looking to win this series, to be very honest. We want to play aggressive cricket. If you look at our last World Cup, we had a very good opportunity to play in the semi-finals but we couldn't do that. But, it's a new team. So, I hope all the players will play some good cricket here," he said.

"We all know we didn't play our best cricket (in Tests). So, we are not thinking about what we have done before. Going forward, it's a very important series for us and we all know in T20 it's a totally different ball game. That particular day, those who are playing well, will win the match," he added.