ICC rejects Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to move T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India to Sri Lanka, to consider security concerns of Bangladeshi cricketers

The International Cricket Council has rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to move its T20 World Cup 2026 matches out of India. This decision comes after rising tension between the two cricket boards following the Mustafizur Rahman issue linked to the IPL.

According to sources, the ICC made its stand clear during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday, 6th January. The Bangladesh board had asked that its matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, but the ICC refused, saying the request could not be accepted due to security-related concerns and tournament commitments.

The ICC reportedly told the Bangladesh Cricket Board that Bangladesh is required to travel to India to play its scheduled matches. The global body also reportedly warned that if the Bangladesh men’s team does not turn up, it could lose points or even forfeit matches in the T20 World Cup.

However, BCB has denied reports of ICC issuing any such ultimatum. It said on Tuesday that it has received a formal response from the ICC regarding its concerns over the safety and security of the Bangladesh national team in India during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The board claimed that ICC has expressed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and assured that Bangladesh’s inputs would be “welcomed and duly considered”.

World Cup schedule remains unchanged

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be held across India and Sri Lanka from 7th February to 8th March. Bangladesh has been placed in Group C and is scheduled to start its campaign in Kolkata.

Their first three matches will be played there against the West Indies on 7th February, Italy on 9th February, and England on 14 February. After that, the team is scheduled to travel to Mumbai to play Nepal on 17th February to finish the group stage.

How Mustafizur Rahman’s row started

The dispute began after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the 2026 Indian Premier League season on the orders of the BCCI.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that KKR had been instructed to release the player because of the tense political situation between India and Bangladesh. Mustafizur was part of a ₹9.20 crore contract before his release. Reports also claimed that the IPL Governing Council did not formally discuss this decision. Instead, the message was said to have come directly from the highest level within the BCCI.

Following this, the Bangladesh government banned the telecast of IPL in the country.

BCB responds with an emergency meeting

Soon after KKR confirmed Mustafizur’s removal, the BCB called an emergency meeting of its board members. In an official release, the board said it discussed recent developments related to the T20 World Cup, which is being hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The BCB said it was deeply worried about the situation surrounding Bangladesh’s matches in India and raised concerns about the safety and security of its players and staff. The board added that it had also considered advice received from the Bangladesh government.

After reviewing the situation, the BCB stated that under the current conditions, the Bangladesh national team would not travel to India for the tournament. This announcement triggered strong reactions within cricket circles and led to the ICC stepping in to clarify its position.

Despite the BCB’s statement, the ICC, led by chairman Jay Shah, has now made it clear that Bangladesh is expected to honour its World Cup commitments as scheduled.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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