The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate all of their 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup matches to venues outside India, citing safety and security concerns.
Following an emergency board meeting on Sunday afternoon, the BCB had previously conducted a Zoom meeting on Saturday evening after Mustafizur Rahman was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for IPL 2025. This decision came on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to ongoing tensions between India and Bangladesh.
“The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India,” the BCB stated.
“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India, and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions.”
The BCB emphasized, “In light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the event authority, to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India.”
India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, with matches taking place across multiple venues in both countries.
Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India may disrupt the tournament schedule, as their itinerary includes matches against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, as well as against Nepal on February 17 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
“The Board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and well-being of Bangladeshi players, team officials, board members, and other stakeholders, and to ensure that the team can participate in the tournament in a secure and appropriate environment. The Bangladesh Cricket Board looks forward to the ICC’s understanding of the situation and an urgent response on this matter,” the BCB added.