T20 World Cup 2026 update: Bangladesh refuses to play in India in latest ICC meeting
New Delhi: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed that they won’t travel to India for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup during a recent meeting with the ICC. On Tuesday afternoon, the BCB held a video conference with the ICC and BCCI to discuss the participation of the Bangladesh men’s team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Representing the board, President Md Aminul Islam, Vice Presidents Md Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Director and Cricket Operations Committee Chairman Nazmul Abedeen, and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury confirmed their decision. The BCB cited ‘security concerns’ as the reason behind it.
BCB refused to travel to India for the tournament
During the talks, the BCB refused to travel to India for the tournament, citing security concerns. The board again requested the ICC to shift Bangladesh’s matches to venues outside India to ensure player’s security.
With just a month remaining before the tournament, doubts persist over Bangladesh’s participation after the BCB requested the ICC to move their group-stage matches from India to Sri Lanka.
ICC asked the BCB to reconsider its position
In response, the ICC noted that the tournament schedule has already been finalised and asked the BCB to reconsider its position. However, according to an official BCB statement, Bangladesh has refused to travel to India and continues discussions with the ICC regarding the request.
The ongoing dispute with India is causing complications for Bangladesh, with reports suggesting the country could face another significant financial setback.
Bangladesh’s first three games is scheduled to take place in Kolkata, and their last group match in Mumbai. After the BCCI asked Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster, the venues became a problem.
Sports adviser Asif Nazrul requested ICC to shift the matches out of India, despite the fact that no formal explanation was provided. The move coincided following rising tension between the two nation