Bangladesh formally requests ICC to relocate team's T20 WC matches

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has formally approached the International Cricket Council, seeking the relocation of all of Bangladesh’s matches scheduled in India for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, citing serious safety and security concerns for its players and officials.

In its request, the BCB conveyed that Bangladesh would not travel to India for the tournament amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The team is currently slated to play three matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.

The board confirmed the decision in a statement issued after an emergency meeting of its directors, which was convened to assess recent political developments as well as the controversy linked to pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s departure from the Indian Premier League, TNIE reported.

In an official media release, the BCB stated, “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.”

Consequently, the board has officially written to the ICC and requested that Bangladesh’s matches be moved to a venue outside India.

“In the light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the event authority, to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India,” the release said.

India and Sri Lanka will co-host the T20 World Cup, which is set to start on February 7. All four of Bangladesh's group games are presently scheduled to take place in India.

In the meantime, Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka as part of an earlier deal that permits India and Pakistan to partake in multi-nation competitions in neutral locations. The BCB emphasised that safety was the only reason for its proposal.

“The Board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and well being of Bangladeshi players, team officials, Board members and other stakeholders and to ensure that the team can participate in the tournament in a secure and appropriate environment,” the statement added, while expressing hope for an urgent response from the ICC.

During a discussion with concerned authorities and board members, the BCB resolved to immediately withdraw the NOC for security reasons.

Even if the Kolkata Knight Riders choose to change their minds, this practically rules out the left-arm pacer from playing in the IPL.

“We will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances,” said Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, in a statement carried by the state-run BSS news agency on Sunday. “The days of slavery are over.”

The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released the Bangladesh left-arm pacer, who was bought for Rs 9.20 crore after a bidding war at last month's auctions in Abu Dhabi, following BCCI's diktat, PTI reported.

Nazrul said he had directed the BCB to formally approach the ICC.

“The board should inform that, where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.

“I have also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches should be held in Sri Lanka.”

He also said that he has requested the adviser for Bangladesh's Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) to ensure that the broadcast of IPL in Bangladesh is suspended.

"I have requested the adviser for Information and Broadcasting to ensure that the broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh is also suspended.”

The dispute's political context includes strained bilateral relations following the deposition of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a close friend of New Delhi, in a public movement in Dhaka in 2024.

Last month, India's foreign ministry criticised what it called "unremitting hostility against minorities" in Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Bangladesh's interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of misrepresenting the extent of the violence.

The ICC has yet to formally react to the BCB's request.