Bangladesh Cricket Board Withdraws Team from T20 World Cup 2026 in India

BCB's Decision on T20 World Cup Participation

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made the decision to refrain from sending its senior men's cricket team to India for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, as reported by a local news outlet following a directors' meeting held on Sunday.

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.

This announcement follows the Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) confirmation that they have removed Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the IPL 2026 season, a decision influenced by directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

In a media statement, KKR noted, "Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the governing body of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming IPL season."

Previously, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia mentioned that the cricket board had directed KKR to release the Bangladeshi pacer due to ongoing developments.

"In light of recent events, BCCI has instructed KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, and they have also indicated that they will permit any replacement requests," Saikia stated.

The decision to include Mustafizur had triggered political controversy in India, especially in the context of recent incidents involving Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, leading to mixed reactions regarding his selection for IPL 2026.

Mustafizur was acquired by KKR for a substantial sum of Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction held last December.

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 their match against the West Indies, Bangladesh will compete against Italy on February 9 at the same venue, and then they will face the reigning T20 World Cup champions, England, in Kolkata.

After their encounter with England, the team 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.