The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move Bangladesh’s matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 from India to Sri Lanka, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.
The decision was communicated during a virtual meeting held on Tuesday between officials of the ICC and the BCB. During the call, the ICC informed the Bangladesh board that the request to shift venues outside India on security grounds would not be accepted, the report said.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the ICC also conveyed that Bangladesh’s senior men’s team would be required to travel to India to fulfil their scheduled fixtures or face the possibility of forfeiting points. Neither the ICC nor the BCB has issued an official statement confirming the outcome of the discussions.
The meeting followed a letter sent by the BCB on Sunday, in which it sought permission to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, citing concerns over the safety and security of its players.
Bangladesh are slated to begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 with a match against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. They are scheduled to play Italy at the same venue on February 9, followed by a clash against 2022 champions England, also in Kolkata. After those matches, Bangladesh are due to travel to Mumbai to face Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium.
The tournament itself is scheduled to begin on February 7 with the opening match between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo. India and Sri Lanka are joint hosts of the event.
Earlier, the BCB had formally requested the ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s matches outside India, citing “safety and security” concerns, according to a BCB press release. The board stated that the Bangladesh team would not travel to India for the tournament under the prevailing circumstances.
An emergency meeting of the BCB’s Board of Directors was convened to assess the situation. “An emergency meeting of the Board of Directors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was held this afternoon to discuss recent developments related to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka,” the BCB said in its release.
“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,” it added.
“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 release said.
The developments come amid broader tensions involving Bangladesh cricket in India. Earlier, IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad, following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the move, telling ANI: “Due to the recent developments which are going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad, and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement.”
Mustafizur’s inclusion in the IPL had sparked political debate in India, particularly against the backdrop of reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The pacer had been bought by the three-time IPL champions for Rs 9.20 crore during the auction in December last year.
