The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reiterated its decision not to travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 during its latest meeting with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The BCB held a video conference with the ICC on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the participation of the Bangladesh men’s team in the tournament, which is scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
The meeting was attended by BCB President Md Aminul Islam, Vice Presidents Md Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Director and Chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedeen, and Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury, the board said in a media release.
During the discussions, the BCB reaffirmed its stance of not travelling to India, citing security concerns. The board once again urged the ICC to consider shifting Bangladesh’s matches to venues outside India, stressing that the safety and well-being of its players, officials and support staff remain its top priority.
The ICC, however, maintained that the tournament schedule and itinerary have already been finalised and asked the BCB to reconsider its position. Despite the request, Bangladesh stood firm, with both sides agreeing to continue discussions in an attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution.
The development comes amid escalating tensions between the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Relations between the two boards deteriorated after the BCCI terminated Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s Indian Premier League (IPL) contract, a move that followed political backlash in India over reports of violence against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh.
Following the BCCI’s directive, Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur, prompting the BCB to convene an emergency high-level meeting. Soon after, Bangladesh formally wrote to the ICC requesting that their T20 World Cup matches be moved out of India due to safety concerns.
BCB vice-president Faruque Ahmed later cited Pakistan’s participation model as precedent, noting that India and Pakistan already operate under a hybrid hosting arrangement in ICC tournaments. The BCB has also banned the broadcast of the upcoming IPL season in Bangladesh. Ahmed acknowledged that political factors have played a significant role in the deterioration of relations between the two boards.
Earlier, the BCB was forced to issue a clarification after Bangladesh’s sports advisor Azif Nazrul claimed publicly that the ICC had acknowledged their request for a venue change. Hours later, the board stated that it had not received any official communication from the ICC, clarifying that discussions remain ongoing and that no final decision has been taken by the world body.
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