The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to move Bangladesh’s matches away from India for the T20 World Cup 2026. However, the BCB claimed that it has not received any confirmation or detailed communication from the ICC regarding the decision.
Ties between the BCB and the BCCI have worsened in recent weeks. Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the 2026 season. Alongside political tensions, safety concerns have grown in Bangladesh about playing in India during the T20 World Cup.
Earlier, BCB president Aminul Islam said that the board does not feel fully secure about sending the national team to India under the current circumstances.
ICC Rejects BCB Request to Shift T20 World Cup 2026 Matches
According to ESPNcricinfo, the International Cricket Council has rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board's request to move Bangladesh’s matches away from India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The decision was shared during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, January 6. ICC officials told the BCB that the request did not have a strong reason, especially since the Board of Control for Cricket in India has already assured security for visiting teams.
The ICC also explained the rules clearly. If Bangladesh choose not to play their matches in the host country, they could lose all points from the tournament, which would end their campaign at the group stage.
However, there has been no official statement from either side. The BCB has said it has not received any written confirmation or warning from the ICC, including reports that they were told to travel or risk losing points.
Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule Faces Uncertainty
With the tournament only a month away, Bangladesh’s request to change venues has created concerns around planning and scheduling. The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 will be played from February 7 to March 8 and is jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh are currently set to play all four of their Group C matches in India. Their campaign will begin on February 7 against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
They will stay in Kolkata for their next two matches. Bangladesh are scheduled to face Italy on February 9, followed by a clash against England, the 2022 champions, at the same venue.
After completing their Kolkata games, Bangladesh are scheduled to travel to Mumbai. Their final group match is against Nepal on February 17 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Potential Replacement of Bangladesh for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
If Bangladesh decide not to take part in the tournament, the ICC could replace them with another team. This would not be unusual, as past ICC events have seen teams replaced or walkovers awarded when sides pulled out due to security or other concerns.
In the 2009 T20 World Cup, Scotland replaced Zimbabwe after they withdrew. In the 2016 U-19 World Cup, Ireland stepped in after Australia pulled out just weeks before the event. During the 1996 ODI World Cup, Australia and the West Indies refused to travel to Sri Lanka.
If a replacement is needed, Scotland could be considered because of their past World Cup experience and higher T20I ranking. However, their recent results count against them, as they finished behind both Italy and Jersey in the 2025 Europe Regional Final.
Italy finished second in the regional final and qualified for the World Cup, while Jersey ended level on points and missed out only on net run rate. Jersey are seen as a deserving option if Bangladesh are replaced.
Also read: India Built Bangladesh Cricket: The Forgotten History Behind Current BCCI-BCB Tensions
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