Confirmed! Bangladesh refuse to play T20 World Cup in India
What's the story
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that the national team will not be playing its designated matches in India during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The decision comes amid security concerns and the recent controversy over Mustafizur Rahman's release from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The BCB cited these security fears as a major reason for not playing in India, and they have requested to play their matches elsewhere.
Official communication
Formal request to ICC
In an email sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC), the BCB said, "Due to security concerns, it is not possible to send the team to India for the T20 World Cup." Although they had initially planned on raising three issues with the ICC, they only submitted one formal demand. This was after a meeting of 17 BCB directors who unanimously decided Bangladesh would not play any of their T20 World Cup matches in India.
Player release
Mustafizur's release sparks controversy
The controversy over Mustafizur's release from KKR also added to the BCB's concerns. The star pacer was signed by KKR for a whopping ₹9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in December. His contract was terminated on January 3, considering the ongoing political instability in Bangladesh, which has seen continuous unrest and violence for the last six months. This was in line with the alleged attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Match relocation
Reason to shift matches
As directed by its sports ministry, the BCB requested the ICC to shift Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh's Ministry of Sports advisor Asif Nazrul took to Facebook, instructing the BCB to formally explain the situation to the ICC. He stressed that if a Bangladeshi player under contract can't play in India, then the national team can't be assured of their safety while traveling there for World Cup matches.
Official responses
How have ICC and BCCI responded?
The ICC is yet to respond to the BCB's request, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has termed shifting matches as "logistically impossible." Nazrul confirmed Bangladesh's decision not to travel to India in a social media statement. He said, "Bangladesh will not go to India to play in the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken this decision today."
Impications
Bangladesh's matches in India, squad
In their home schedule announced on Friday, the BCB included white-ball matches against India. However, that is unlikely to go ahead, given the ongoing political unrest. In the impending T20 World Cup, Bangladesh are scheduled to play West Indies, Italy, and England at Eden Gardens (Kolkata), as well as Nepal at Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai). Amid the uncertainty over travel, Bangladesh announced their squad led by Litton Das.