The Bangladesh government has firmly reiterated its stand to not send the national cricket team to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 starting next month, maintaining that security concerns make participation untenable.
On Tuesday, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul addressed the ongoing impasse, emphasising that Bangladesh’s position remains unchanged despite recent discussions with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The issue stems from the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to relocate their group-stage matches, originally scheduled in India, to Sri Lanka, citing player safety amid heightened political tensions between the two countries.
The controversy intensified after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad due to the prevailing political situation.
BCB officials engaged in talks with ICC representatives in Dhaka, but the meetings failed to produce a solution. Bangladesh also proposed swapping groups with Ireland to facilitate a shift to Sri Lankan venues, a suggestion rejected by the global body.
The ICC has set January 21 as the deadline for clarity on Bangladesh’s participation. Should Bangladesh withdraw from their scheduled fixtures, Scotland, as the highest-ranked non-qualifying team, could potentially step in.
“I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place (in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup),” Asif told reporters on Tuesday. “If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian cricket board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions,” he said.
“In the past there are examples that Pakistan said they will not travel to India and ICC changed the venues,” he said. “We have asked to change the venue on logical ground and we cannot be pressurised to play in India by putting illogical pressure.”
The BCB has consistently framed its stance as driven by safety considerations, insisting on safeguards for the team’s well-being. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh scheduled to open against the West Indies in Kolkata.
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