BCB reiterated its refusal to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 over security concerns during talks with the ICC, requesting match relocation. The ICC urged reconsideration, with discussions set to continue.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reiterated its decision not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, citing security concerns, following a video conference with the International Cricket Council (ICC) held on Tuesday afternoon.
The meeting was attended by BCB President Md Aminul Islam, Vice Presidents Md Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Director and Chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedeen, and Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.
During the discussion, BCB officials restated the Board’s position and formally requested the ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh’s scheduled matches to venues outside India. The BCB emphasised that its stance is driven by concerns over the safety and security of its players, team officials, and support staff.
In response, the ICC noted that the tournament itinerary has already been finalised and urged the BCB to reconsider its decision. However, BCB representatives maintained that their position remains unchanged at this stage.
Both the BCB and the ICC agreed to continue discussions in an effort to find a mutually acceptable solution to the issue.
What triggered Bangladesh’s stance?
The issue surfaced after Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026 following BCCI directives. His sudden release acted as a trigger, prompting the BCB to voice its firm stance against travelling to India for the T20 World Cup 2026.
In the meantime, BCB Vice President Faruque Ahmed cited Pakistan as an example to support Bangladesh’s argument, highlighting that India and Pakistan already compete under a hybrid hosting model in international tournaments. He suggested a similar arrangement could be considered for Bangladesh.
In a further escalation, the BCB has also banned the broadcast of the upcoming Indian Premier League season in Bangladesh, underlining the seriousness of its stance. ICC is now expected to hold more meetings to resolve the problem soon as the T20 World Cup starts in less than 20 days.