The International Cricket Council has reportedly informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that their request to stage Bangladesh’s World Cup matches outside India on security grounds has been declined.
Last week, the BCB formally asked the ICC to shift all of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India, citing growing concerns about the safety and security of its contingent. ICC authorities and BCB officials held a virtual meeting, and according to an ESPNcricinfo report, the ICC is understood to have stated that Bangladesh would need to travel to India to fulfil its fixtures or risk forfeiting competition points.
However, the BCB claimed that no such warning or ultimatum was communicated to them. An ICC source also mentioned that no decision has been taken on the BCB’s request to relocate all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India.
Neither the ICC nor the BCCI has issued an official statement clarifying the outcome of the call.
This uncertainty arises with less than a month left before the 20-team tournament begins on February 7. India and Sri Lanka will co-host the event, which will run through March 8.
Bangladesh, drawn in Group C, is slated to play its opening three matches in Kolkata: against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14, before concluding the group stage against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
The BCB’s outreach to the ICC followed a directive from the BCCI to IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman, who had been signed at the December auction for Rs 9.2 crore. He was the sole Bangladesh player picked up at the IPL 2026 auction.