The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the national team will not travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns for its players and support staff. The decision follows consultations with the Bangladesh government and a review of recent developments that, according to the BCB, have raised apprehensions about the team’s safety in India.
Bangladesh are placed in Group C alongside England, Italy, Nepal and the West Indies, with their group-stage matches originally scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai. The BCB has formally requested the ICC to relocate all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India, preferably Sri Lanka.
The issue escalated after Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman following instructions from the BCCI amid political tensions between the two countries. In response, Asif Nazrul, advisor for Youth and Sports in Bangladesh’s interim government, said the team “won’t feel safe” playing in India and also urged authorities to stop broadcasting the IPL in Bangladesh.
The situation has further strained cricketing ties, with the BCCI putting India’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh later this year on hold. While the BCCI maintains that the World Cup fixtures remain unchanged, the final decision now rests with the ICC.
The diplomatic and sporting standoff has created uncertainty around Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament, even as both boards await further dialogue and direction from cricket’s global governing body.
