Bangladesh's T20 World Cup Participation in Jeopardy: Will They Be Replaced?
Bangladesh Cricket Board Faces Deadline for T20 World Cup Decision
New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has set a deadline for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to confirm its participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India by January 21. Failure to do so may result in Bangladesh being replaced by another team in the tournament starting on February 7.
The ongoing discussions between the ICC and BCB have yet to yield a resolution regarding the situation that arose after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from the 2026 Indian Premier League due to unspecified 'developments'.
An ICC source stated, 'BCB officials must finalize their decision by January 21. If they choose not to travel to India, they should be prepared for a replacement based on rankings.'
The BCB has expressed concerns over security and national pride, leading to their announcement that the national team will not travel to India for matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.
Despite the finalized event schedule, the ICC has shown hesitance to relocate Bangladesh's matches to co-host Sri Lanka, where the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match is set to take place as per the agreed ICC event arrangements until 2027.
Should Bangladesh remain inflexible, Scotland is likely to step in as the replacement team based on current rankings. Bangladesh is slated to play three league matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.
The BCB is firm on either relocating the venue or altering the group arrangements to allow their games to be held in Sri Lanka.
Currently, Bangladesh is in Group C alongside the West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal.
During their recent meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka, the BCB suggested swapping Bangladesh with Ireland in Group B, which includes Sri Lanka, Australia, Oman, and Zimbabwe.
This adjustment would enable the team to remain entirely in Sri Lanka for all league matches.
'...the potential for moving Bangladesh to a different group to facilitate the situation with minimal logistical changes was discussed,' the BCB mentioned following the meeting.
While the BCB deems it unsafe for players to travel to India, the ICC's risk assessment report does not indicate any specific threats to the team if they participate in the tournament.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have soured recently, particularly following incidents involving the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto have advised against a rigid stance on this sensitive issue, with Iqbal warning that today's decisions could have long-term consequences.