ICC Rejects Bangladesh’s Plea to Relocate T20 World Cup Games from India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift its T20 World Cup matches out of India, sources familiar with the discussions have said.

The decision was conveyed during a virtual meeting between the ICC and the BCB. According to sources, the global body made it clear that the tournament schedule and venues would remain unchanged and that Bangladesh would be required to travel to India to participate. The ICC also warned that opting out of matches in India could have sporting repercussions, including the forfeiture of points.

However, sources within the BCB have maintained that the board has not yet received any formal written communication confirming the ICC’s decision.

Bangladesh’s request came amid a sharp deterioration in ties between the BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), following the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League. The BCCI had reportedly asked Kolkata Knight Riders to terminate Mustafizur’s contract, citing “developments all around”, a move that coincided with political backlash in India over reports of violence against minorities in Bangladesh.

In response, the BCB convened an emergency meeting and subsequently approached the ICC, flagging concerns over the safety and security of its players if they were to travel to India for the T20 World Cup. The board also cited precedent, with BCB director Faruque Ahmed pointing to Pakistan’s participation in ICC tournaments under a hybrid hosting model as a possible alternative.

Tensions escalated further after Bangladesh announced a ban on the broadcast of the upcoming IPL season in the country. Speaking to India Today earlier, Faruque Ahmed said political developments had strained relations between the two cricket boards, adding that cricketing matters had become entangled with broader geopolitical issues.

Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman has moved on from the episode and has joined the Pakistan Super League shortly after his IPL exit.

While the ICC’s position suggests little appetite for altering the World Cup schedule at this stage, the lack of official communication has left some uncertainty, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board yet to publicly spell out its next course of action.