Bangladesh Cricket Board Withdraws Team from T20 World Cup 2026 in India
BCB's Decision to Withdraw from T20 World Cup
Asif Nazrul, the sports advisor for Bangladesh, praised the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for its decision to refrain from sending the men's senior cricket team to India for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. This decision was made during a directors' meeting held on Sunday, as reported by a local media outlet.
Controversy Surrounding Mustafizur Rahman
The decision follows the controversy involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after being directed to do so by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). His selection for KKR faced backlash due to ongoing issues affecting religious minorities in Bangladesh. Mustafizur had been acquired by KKR for a substantial sum of Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction last December.
Nazrul took to social media to express his support for the BCB's decision, stating, "Bangladesh will not go to India to play in the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board made this decision today. I welcome this decision, taken in response to the Indian cricket board's extreme communal policies."
Request to ICC for Match Relocation
Additionally, the BCB has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh's matches from India to Sri Lanka, according to a BCB official.
Confirmation of Player Release by KKR
KKR confirmed on Saturday that Mustafizur Rahman has been removed from their IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the BCCI. A media advisory from KKR stated, "Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season."
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia mentioned that the board had directed KKR to release Rahman due to recent developments, stating, "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."
Political Backlash and Its Implications
The selection of Mustafizur Rahman has ignited political controversy in India, particularly in light of the recent targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. This situation has led to various opinions regarding his inclusion in KKR for the IPL 2026 season.
Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Schedule
Bangladesh is set to kick off its T20 World Cup 2026 journey on February 7 against the two-time champions, West Indies, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Following this match, they will compete against Italy on February 9 at the same venue, and then face the reigning T20 World Cup champions, England, in Kolkata.
After their match against England, Bangladesh will head to Mumbai to take on Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. The World Cup will commence on February 7 with a match between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo.