The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has temporarily closed Gate 2 of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur after a crack was detected in a statue near the entrance on Saturday.

The BCB said the closure was taken as a precautionary safety measure and that it has informed and consulted the relevant department of the National Sports Council (NSC).

The statue, located just inside Gate 2, is a bronze sculpture of a bowler. It was unveiled in February 2011 ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, which Bangladesh co-hosted alongside India and Sri Lanka. 

The statue has previously attracted attention for its unusual, technically incorrect bowling action, as the bowler in his delivery stride is wrong-footed.

The BCB said necessary steps would be taken with the concerned authorities to assess the condition of the statue and address the issue.

Gate 2 will remain closed until further notice, with the BCB requesting everyone’s cooperation.