ICC tells Bangladesh to play in India or risk forfeiting matches: ESPNcricinfo
According to sources quoted by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC made it clear that the tournament schedule would not be changed and that Bangladesh would be required to travel to India as planned.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Bangladesh's request to relocate their matches of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup away from India, indicating that the team must play at the designated venues or risk forfeiting their scheduled matches.
The issue was discussed during a virtual meeting between ICC officials and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) earlier this week. Bangladesh had formally written to the ICC seeking a neutral venue, citing security concerns.
According to sources quoted by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC made it clear that the tournament schedule would not be changed and that Bangladesh would be required to travel to India as planned. Failure to do so, the sources said, could result in Bangladesh forfeiting their matches. The BCB, however, has denied receiving any official ultimatum in those terms, saying no such directive was formally communicated.
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Neither the ICC nor the BCB, nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has issued a public statement following the meeting.
The matter comes ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh are placed in Group C and are due to play their first three matches in Kolkata — against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 — before facing Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
Bangladesh's concerns are understood to have escalated following the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his Indian Premier League (IPL) contract after intervention by the BCCI. Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi player picked at the IPL auction, and his release is reported to have raised broader concerns within the BCB regarding player security and the prevailing political environment.
While the ICC has so far maintained that the schedule will remain unchanged, the situation remains unresolved, with Bangladesh awaiting further clarity ahead of the global tournament.
