Bangladesh Cricket Board Discusses Participation in 2026 T20 World Cup
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) recently held a video conference with the ICC to discuss the national team's participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Citing security concerns, the BCB confirmed its decision not to travel to India and requested the ICC to consider relocating their matches. Despite the ICC's reassurances regarding safety, the BCB remains firm in its stance. The board is committed to ensuring the safety of its players and is engaged in ongoing discussions with the ICC to find a resolution. This situation raises questions about the feasibility of hosting the tournament in India.
| Jan 13, 2026, 15:50 IST
BCB and ICC Hold Video Conference on T20 World Cup Participation
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted a video conference on Tuesday afternoon to deliberate on the participation of the Bangladesh national cricket team in the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Key figures from the BCB included President Aminul Islam, Vice President Shakawat Hossain, Director Faruk Ahmed, Chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedeen, and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.
During the discussions, the BCB reiterated its decision not to travel to India, citing security concerns. The board also urged the ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh's matches outside of India. Although the ICC has already announced the tournament schedule and requested the BCB to reconsider its stance, the board remains firm in its position. Both parties have agreed to continue discussions to explore potential solutions.
The BCB emphasizes its commitment to ensuring the safety of its players, officials, and staff, and is engaging in constructive dialogue with the ICC to resolve this issue. Previously, Asif Nazrul, the advisor for youth and sports in Bangladesh, claimed that the environment for playing the T20 World Cup in India is not conducive. He referenced a letter from the ICC's security team, as reported by the government news agency BSS on Monday.
According to ICC sources on Monday, an independent risk assessment conducted by internationally recognized security experts did not conclude that Bangladesh could not play its scheduled T20 World Cup matches in India. The overall security risk for the tournament in India was assessed as low to medium, aligning with several major global sporting events. During a media interaction at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) building, Asif Nazrul mentioned that the security team's letter highlighted three specific security concerns regarding Bangladesh's participation in India.