BCB president Aminul Islam has publicly queried why the ICC will not let Bangladesh play their 2026 T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, after granting India the chance to stage all of their 2025 Champions Trophy fixtures in Dubai rather than in Pakistan.
Speaking in Dhaka shortly after a meeting between government officials, board members and senior players, Aminul argued that India received a “privilege” unavailable to Bangladesh. “The ICC tried to tell us about incidents in 1996 and 2003 but we pointed out their recent steps in a similar matter,” he said. “When a country refused to travel to another country for the Champions Trophy last February, the ICC organised a neutral venue for them. The team played all their Champions Trophy matches in that neutral venue. They played in one ground, staying in one hotel. It was a privilege.”
Bangladesh maintains it will not travel to India, citing security concerns. According to Aminul, the ICC has reminded the BCB of previous forfeits – Australia, West Indies, New Zealand and England declined to play at certain venues during the 1996 and 2003 World Cups and simply lost the points. Yet Aminul feels the 2025 precedent should carry more weight.
“We are calling Sri Lanka co-hosts but they are not co-hosts. Sri Lanka is part of the hybrid model where one country is going to play,” he explained. “We indicated to the ICC that since our government is reluctant (to let us play in India), we want to take that option. Still, they denied our request. We will communicate with the ICC today. We are ready to play the World Cup in Sri Lanka. We don’t want to play in India.”
The hybrid arrangement, approved by the ICC Board last year, was first used for India–Pakistan fixtures in the 2025 Champions Trophy cycle and later for the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup. By contrast, the 2026 T20 event was always billed as a joint India–Sri Lanka tournament, with any India–Pakistan match moved to Sri Lanka.
“We are proud of Bangladesh cricket, but we are doubtful about world cricket,” Aminul said. “When cricket’s popularity is in decline, ICC is denying a cricket-loving country of 200 million people. Cricket is going to the Olympics in 2028. India is bidding for the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, but it will be their failure if such a country [Bangladesh] is not going to the World Cup. We are not giving up on playing the World Cup.”
The BCB will continue its dialogue with Dubai-based administrators, yet for now the standoff remains: Bangladesh are prepared to compete in Sri Lanka – just not in India – and the ICC has yet to shift its position.
