ICC Rejects Bangladesh’s Request to Shift T20 World Cup Matches from India
Uncertainty continues to cloud Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup after conflicting accounts emerged from talks between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Sources familiar with a virtual meeting held on Tuesday told ESPN Cricinfo that the ICC rejected the BCB’s request to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India, citing security considerations. The ICC reportedly made it clear that Bangladesh would be required to travel to India for the tournament and warned that failure to do so could lead to a loss of points.
The BCB, however, has disputed this account, insisting that no such warning or directive was conveyed during the discussion. Neither the ICC nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued an official statement following the meeting.
The talks were held after the BCB formally approached the ICC on Sunday, requesting that Bangladesh’s fixtures be relocated away from India. The issue has arisen at a sensitive time, with the 20-team tournament scheduled to begin on February 7 across venues in India and Sri Lanka, and conclude on March 8.
Bangladesh have been placed in Group C and are set to play their first three matches in Kolkata—against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14—before travelling to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17.
BCB officials raised concerns with the ICC following a separate development involving Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Earlier this month, the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release the left-arm pacer, who had been bought at the IPL auction in December for Rs9.2 crore. The decision was confirmed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, though no public explanation was given.
Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi cricketer selected at the 2026 IPL auction, adding to the sensitivity of the situation. Sources indicated that the IPL Governing Council did not meet to discuss his release, leaving questions about how the decision was made and who was involved beyond the BCCI secretary.
