Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials and the ICC remain locked in talks over where Bangladesh will play their 2026 men’s T20 World Cup matches, with the tournament only three weeks away and no agreement yet in sight.
At a Saturday meeting in Dhaka, BCB president Aminul Islam restated the board’s stance that Bangladesh will not travel to India, citing security concerns. “During the discussions, the BCB reiterated its formal request to the ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka,” the board said. The statement also noted the government’s unease about the safety of “the team, Bangladeshi fans, media and other stakeholders.”
Gaurav Saxena, the ICC’s general manager for events, joined the meeting online after a delayed visa meant he could not travel. Integrity-unit head Andrew Ephgrave attended in person. Both sides described the exchange as “constructive, cordial and professional”, and confirmed that shifting Bangladesh to another group was floated as a possible compromise “with minimum logistical adjustments.”
As things stand, Bangladesh are scheduled to open their Group C campaign against England in Kolkata on 8 February, before further matches in the city against Nepal and West Indies and a final group game versus Italy in Mumbai. Moving those fixtures to Sri Lanka would require re-working both the schedule and broadcast arrangements, something the ICC is understood to be weighing against wider tournament stability.
Tensions have been simmering since Kolkata Knight Riders were instructed to drop left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman from their 2026 IPL squad—no explanation was given publicly. The Bangladesh government then blocked IPL broadcasts at home, and the BCB formally informed the ICC it would not send the national side to India for World Cup matches.
An independent security report commissioned by the ICC places the overall threat level for visiting teams in India in the “moderate-high” bracket, yet stresses there is “no information to indicate a direct threat against participating teams.” ICC officials privately note that many international sides have toured India recently without incident, though they also concede that Bangladesh’s domestic political context is unique.
Senior BCB director Nazmul Abedeen told reporters afterwards that the board is “hopeful of a practical solution,” while acknowledging time is running short. One senior ICC source, speaking on background, said moving Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka “remains on the table” but warned of “a domino effect on venues, ticketing and broadcast crews.”
If no compromise is reached, the ICC has the power to enforce its original schedule, potentially leaving Bangladesh to decide between playing in India or withdrawing. No one on either side appears keen to let it reach that point. As Aminul Islam put it, the board will “continue engaging in constructive dialogue on this matter.”
For now, players and supporters face an anxious wait. The opening ceremony in Delhi is pencilled in for 6 February; whether Bangladesh’s flag will be there remains unresolved.
