ICC asks Bangladesh to reconsider stance over T20 World Cup deadlock

Bangladesh’s involvement in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has become a point of contention after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) firmly maintained that the national team will not travel to India for the tournament, citing security concerns.

In a statement issued from Dhaka on Tuesday, the BCB said it had held a video conference with the International Cricket Council to discuss Bangladesh’s participation in the 20-team event, scheduled to run from 7 February to 8 March and co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The meeting was attended by senior BCB officials, including president Mc Aminul Islam, vice-presidents Md Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Cricket Operations Committee chairman Nazmul Abedeen, and chief executive officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury. According to the board, Bangladesh reiterated its unwillingness to travel to India and requested that the ICC consider staging the team’s matches at venues outside the country.

The ICC, the BCB said, pointed out that the tournament schedule and venues have already been finalised and urged Bangladesh to reconsider its position. Despite this, the board made it clear that its stance remains unchanged, although both sides agreed to continue discussions in search of a possible resolution.

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Behind the measured tone of the statement lies a complex logistical challenge. Any alteration to Bangladesh’s fixtures would require adjustments to venues, travel arrangements, broadcasting plans and commercial commitments, potentially setting a sensitive precedent for future global events where host arrangements are questioned on security grounds.

The BCB has framed its position as a matter of responsibility towards its players and officials, stressing its obligation to ensure their safety while continuing dialogue with the ICC. However, the board has not elaborated on the specific nature of its security concerns, nor has it proposed alternative host countries or indicated a timeline for a final decision.

Importantly, Bangladesh has stopped short of threatening to withdraw from the tournament, instead keeping negotiations open—though from the clear standpoint that travelling to India is, for now, off the table.