Confirmed! ICC rejects BCB's request to shift T20 WC matches
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) plea to move their 2026 Men's T20 World Cup matches out of India. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, the decision was taken at an emergency board meeting, where all members were present. Of the 15 members who voted on the matter, the ones from Pakistan were in favor of changes to the tournament schedule.
Participation dilemma
Bangladesh's participation in the tournament remains uncertain
The ICC's decision means that the schedule for the World Cup, which will be held from February 7 to March 8, will remain unchanged. However, if BCB decides against traveling to India for the tournament, another country could take their place based on team rankings. Scotland will be their replacement as the highest-ranked team (ICC T20I Rankings), which didn't qualify for the tournament.
Match schedule
Bangladesh's group stage matches in the tournament
Bangladesh are currently in Group C with West Indies, England, Nepal, and Italy. The Asian team is set to play three matches in Kolkata before heading to Mumbai for their final group game. The ICC's decision not to change the tournament schedule means these matches will continue as planned unless BCB decides otherwise within 24 hours of the decision.
Tensions
Tensions between Bangladesh and India affect cricket
The current tensions stem from the BCCI's order to drop Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad. The deteriorating political relations between Bangladesh and India are believed to be a factor behind this. This prompted the Bangladesh government to officially announce that its team would not play matches in India. It even banned the Indian Premier League (IPL) broadcast in the country.