ICC declines Bangladesh’s request to shift T20 World Cup matches outside India – SUCH TV
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches away from India.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a news release on Sunday (January 4) in which the board stated that it has formally requested the ICC to shift their Group C matches of the upcoming shortest-format mega-event in India over security concerns.
But according to a report in ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday night (January 6), the ICC has rejected BCB’s request.
As per the available information, in a virtual call on Tuesday, the ICC told BCB that they are rejecting their request to play T20 World Cup 2026 matches outside India due to security concerns.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the ICC has told the Bangladesh Cricket Board that “Bangladesh will need to travel to India to play the T20 World Cup or risk forfeiting points.”
However, as per the same report, the BCB claimed that no such ultimatum has been relayed to them by the governing body.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play all their four Group C matches of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India.
Their first three group matches against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) are scheduled at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and for their fourth and final group match against Nepal on February 17, they are supposed to travel to Mumbai.
Bangladesh’s request to shift their T20 World Cup 2026 matches away from India came a day after the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad.
Rahman, who has dismissed more than 400 batters in T20s and is Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, was signed by the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise for Rs92 million in the IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi on December 16.
But the franchise’s decision to buy him invited severe criticism for Shah Rukh Khan in the recent weeks after multiple cases of crime against Hindus were reported from Bangladesh.
Notably, Mustafizur, who has previously played in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, was the only Bangladeshi player signed in the IPL 2026 auction.
