ICC Rejects BCB’s Request to Shift T20 World Cup Matches from India to Sri Lanka
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) plea to relocate their matches from India to Sri Lanka for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
During a virtual meeting on Tuesday between the ICC and BCB, the ICC informed the Board that they were denying the request to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India due to security concerns.
The ICC has advised the BCB that their national cricket team must travel to India to compete in the T20 World Cup matches or risk losing points.
Although there has been no official statement released by either the BCB or ICC following Tuesday’s discussion, it was arranged after the BCB wrote in on Sunday, suggesting the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Bangladesh is set to kick off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Subsequently, they will face Italy on February 9 and then take on England, the 2022 T20 World Cup champions, all at the same venue.
Following the match against England, Bangladesh will travel to Mumbai to play against Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. The tournament will commence on February 7 with a match between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo.
Earlier, the BCB formally requested the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 to venues outside India, citing safety concerns for Bangladeshi players.
The BCB announced that the team will not travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, which is jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, due to growing safety and security concerns for the Bangladeshi contingent.
The recent developments include the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) removing Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.
The BCB held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation and expressed deep concerns over the safety of the Bangladesh team in India. After careful evaluation and considering advice from the Bangladesh Government, the BCB decided that the Bangladesh National Team will not participate in the tournament in India under the current circumstances.
KKR’s decision came after BCCI instructed the franchise to release Mustafizur Rahman due to ongoing developments. BCCI also stated that if KKR requests a replacement, it will be permitted.
Mustafizur Rahman’s inclusion in the KKR squad sparked controversy in India amid recent incidents targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The player was selected by KKR for Rs 9.20 crores during the IPL auction in December for the IPL 2026 season.
