Bangladesh’s cricket authorities have publicly restated their wish to play all 2026 T20 World Cup group matches in Sri Lanka rather than India, citing what they describe as serious security risks for players, supporters and media.
Speaking in Dhaka on Wednesday, the national sports adviser Asif Nazrul said the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would “attempt to convince the ICC of the gravity of the issue”, adding that the matter touched on both player welfare and “Bangladesh’s dignity”.
“Today, after reading the letter from the ICC, we understand that the ICC doesn’t fully realise the scale of the security issue regarding Bangladeshi cricketers in India,” Nazrul said. “I believe it’s not only a matter of security but also that of national humiliation. We are looking at it as a security issue, where the BCCI itself is telling the Kolkata [Knight Riders] team that this player can’t be given security, [so] leave him out from your team. This in itself is a tacit recognition that it isn’t very safe to play in India.”
Key flash-point
• Bangladesh are due to start their campaign with three matches in Kolkata before heading to Mumbai for the final group fixture.
• Tensions escalated when the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to leave out Mustafizur Rahman from their 2026 IPL squad without detailing the reason, a move viewed in Dhaka as politically motivated.
• In response, the Bangladesh government banned IPL broadcasts at home, and the BCB formally asked the ICC to relocate its World Cup ties.
No ultimatum – yet
After a conference call on Tuesday the ICC wrote to the BCB, but the board later stated it had received no ultimatum and would keep engaging “constructively”. Even so, Nazrul returned to the microphones to underline Dhaka’s red line.
“We don’t want to say anything about the bigger picture, the communal situation, in India,” he said. “But when it comes to our cricketers’ safety, Bangladesh’s safety, and Bangladesh’s dignity, we won’t make any compromise. We want to play cricket, we want to play the World Cup – but we want to play in Sri Lanka, which is the other host country.”
He added that the BCB hoped the ICC would “consider our logic with an open heart” and agree to the switch. “Whatever happens next, we’ll take a stand accordingly,” he concluded.
Government guidance holds sway
BCB president Aminul Islam, seated alongside Nazrul, stressed that the board could not guarantee protection for everyone who might travel to India. “It is not possible for the cricket board to ask for the security of each and every person from Bangladesh who goes to the World Cup, and this includes the team, as well as fans and journalists,” Animul said. “That’s why we’re taking the government’s directive because you know that every foreign trip requires a government order.”
Behind the scenes, senior officials admit that moving a set of group matches from one co-host nation to another is logistically awkward but not unprecedented. The ICC would have to consult broadcasters, local police forces, ticket-holders and sponsors before rubber-stamping any change. A final decision is unlikely before the ICC’s next board meeting later this month.
What could happen next?
1. ICC maintains the status quo – Bangladesh either travel to India or risk forfeiting points.
2. A compromise in which only the Kolkata fixtures are moved to Sri Lanka, keeping the Mumbai game intact.
3. Full relocation of Bangladesh’s group to Sri Lanka, creating knock-on scheduling changes for other teams in Group C.
Former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar, speaking to local radio, urged cool heads. “If both boards sit down quietly, a solution will come. The players just want certainty – where are we practising, where are we sleeping, and is our family safe?” he said.
Indian reaction has been muted in public, though a senior BCCI administrator told this newspaper off-record that security plans are “robust” and identical for all visiting teams. The official rejected suggestions that Mustafizur’s IPL exclusion represented a wider threat, calling it “a franchise matter”.
Why Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka, the tournament’s secondary host, already has stadiums and training facilities booked for Super 8 and knockout games. Transport links from Bangladesh are straightforward, and Colombo has long been a neutral venue for fixtures involving South Asian nations. According to police officials in Colombo, preliminary talks on beefed-up security have taken place but hinge on a formal ICC request.
Analyst’s view
Moving four matches may sound minor, yet it carries financial and political weight. India supplies most of the tournament’s television revenue; broadcasters may push back if a marquee South Asian contest leaves Indian soil. On the other hand, forcing a reluctant team to play could create an even bigger diplomatic row and hurt the competition’s image.
For now, Bangladesh’s position is unchanged: they plan to board a plane to Sri Lanka, not Kolkata, unless the ICC can convince them otherwise. The coming fortnight will show whether cricket’s administrators can bat away the security concerns or whether the fixture list requires a late, delicate re-write.
