ICC Denies Bangladesh's Request to Move T20 World Cup Matches to Sri Lanka
ICC's Decision on Bangladesh's Match Location
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) appeal to relocate their matches from India to Sri Lanka for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, as reported by a sports news outlet.
During a virtual meeting held on Tuesday, the ICC communicated to the BCB that their request was denied due to security issues. The ICC emphasized that the Bangladesh senior men's cricket team must travel to India to participate in their T20 World Cup matches, or they risk losing points.
Bangladesh's T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule
Bangladesh is set to kick off their 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, also in Kolkata. After their match against England, Bangladesh will head to Mumbai to take on Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. The tournament will commence on February 7 with a match between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo.
BCB's Concerns Over Safety and Security
The BCB had formally requested the ICC to move Bangladesh's matches to locations outside India, citing 'safety and security' concerns for their players, as stated in a press release from the BCB.
The board expressed that the team would refrain from traveling to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, due to escalating worries regarding the safety of the Bangladesh contingent.
Controversy Surrounding Mustafizur Rahman's IPL Contract
This situation follows the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) announcement that they have removed Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster, following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) related to reported atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.
BCB's Emergency Meeting
An emergency meeting of the BCB's Board of Directors was convened to address the recent developments concerning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka.
The board reviewed the situation thoroughly, considering the events of the past 24 hours, and expressed significant concern regarding the circumstances affecting the Bangladesh National Team's participation in matches in India.
After a comprehensive evaluation of the current situation and the increasing concerns about the safety of the Bangladesh team in India, along with advice from the Bangladesh Government, the board concluded that the team would not travel to India for the tournament under the existing conditions.
BCCI's Directive to KKR
KKR's decision to release Mustafizur Rahman was influenced by a statement from BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who indicated that the cricket board had instructed the IPL franchise to let go of the Bangladeshi pacer due to recent developments.
Saikia mentioned, 'In light of the ongoing developments, BCCI has directed KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, and they will be permitted to seek a replacement if needed.'
The inclusion of the Bangladeshi player had sparked political controversy in India, especially amid recent incidents targeting Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, leading to various opinions regarding Mustafizur’s selection by KKR for the IPL 2026 season, where he was acquired for Rs 9.20 crores during the IPL auction last December.