Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be decided by January 21, following continued discussions between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament is scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, but security concerns have placed Bangladesh’s involvement in doubt.
According to reports, the ICC has given a clear deadline to the BCB to confirm whether the national team will travel to India for the tournament. During their second meeting in a week, BCB officials reiterated their willingness to compete in the World Cup. Still, they requested that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted outside India, proposing Sri Lanka as an alternative venue.
However, the ICC rejected the request, assuring the BCB that there is no security threat to the Bangladesh team while playing in India. The ICC also refused to move Bangladesh from Group C to Group B, which would have involved swapping positions with Ireland.
Reports suggest that if Bangladesh refuses to travel to India, the ICC is likely to name Scotland as the replacement team, based on the current ICC rankings. The matter has remained unresolved since January 4, when the BCB first officially communicated its concerns.
The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh currently scheduled to play their opening match against the West Indies in Kolkata, followed by two more group matches at the same venue. Their final group-stage match is set for Mumbai.
The dispute reportedly stems from the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for IPL 2026, allegedly on instructions from the BCCI, without an official explanation. This incident was followed by the Bangladesh government banning IPL broadcasts, escalating tensions further.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is also expected to reassess its participation, expressing support for Bangladesh’s security concerns and emphasizing that no team should face undue pressure ahead of a global tournament.
