The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), on Thursday, reaffirmed its decision not to travel to India for their group league matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 following a meeting in Dhaka that included the Bangladesh players, BCB President and the country’s Sports Advisor, Asif Nazrul. The BCB were given 24 hours time to rethink their stance after the ICC board members on Wednesday voted unanimously against relocation of Bangladesh’s matches from India.
Earlier, the BCB formally asked the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches outside India, citing concerns over players’ safety amid ongoing political tensions. The ICC rejected the request, explaining that independent security assessments found no credible or verifiable threat to the Bangladesh team while competing in India. The ICC also stressed that relocating fixtures so close to the tournament will be a logistical challenge and set a bad precedent for future global events. Travel arrangements for teams and fans are already in place, and altering venues could disrupt the wider schedule, especially if Bangladesh were to progress beyond the group stage.
Bangladesh’s continued refusal has raised concerns about the potential impact on the nation’s cricketing future. By choosing to withdraw, Bangladesh risks isolating itself from other member nations, except Pakistan. Meanwhile, the tournament is expected to proceed as scheduled, with Scotland likely to be named as potential replacement.
The long-term implications could be significant. Missing a major event like the T20 World Cup would deny Bangladeshi players vital exposure and high-level competition, potentially hindering the team’s progress on the international stage.
According to a senior Bangladesh cricket journalist, Atif Azam, “It is one of the darkest days in Bangladesh cricket. The entire crisis could have been handled in a better way by the cricket board. Bangladesh cricketers’ ICC rankings will be impacted. The cricket board runs the risk of huge financial loss, other member nations will think about sending teams to Bangladesh.”
Atif added, “The issue should have been discussed internally and the decision not to travel to India shouldn’t have been made public at the start. The BCB was warned by the ICC and knew the consequences, but public reactions and government pressure escalated the crisis.”
Another senior cricket journalist, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “The biggest losers are the Bangladesh cricketers, who are left devastated. While a few are competing in leagues such as the BBL, many are missing a rare opportunity to showcase their skills on a major international stage—particularly in conditions that suit Bangladesh. For several players, it was a golden chance that may never come again.”
Barshon Kabir, cricket correspondent with NTV felt, “This will have a huge impact, involving significant financial loss. Bangladesh could also face problems participating in future ICC events. We may not fully understand how serious the situation is until tomorrow, but going forward, this will be remembered as a black day for Bangladesh cricket.”
He added, “The mistake committed by BCB is they took a hard stance by refusing to participate, which left no room for dialogue. This decision will have a major impact. As a full member, engaging with the ICC in this manner has serious consequences. Regardless of how big the impact is, it is undeniable that the situation is damaging.”
This is not the first time that a member nation has decided against travelling to another country for an ICC event. In the 1996 ODI World Cup, Australia and the West Indies refused to travel to Sri Lanka following a blast in Colombo and unrest in the country. As a result, Sri Lanka were awarded points. Similarly, in the 2003 World Cup, England forfeited their game against Zimbabwe and New Zealand declined to play in Kenya, with both host nations receiving full points.
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