Bangladesh's hopes of shifting their T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka have suffered a significant blow, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly unlikely to accept their security concerns. This development casts a shadow over Bangladesh's participation in the tournament, scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026.
The controversy arose after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) expressed security apprehensions regarding their team's travel to India for the World Cup. These concerns were amplified following the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to prematurely release Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the lead-up to the IPL season. The BCB formally communicated its position to the ICC, stating that prevailing security issues made it unfeasible for the national side to participate in the tournament if held in India. Dhaka escalated the matter further by requesting the ICC to move Bangladesh's matches to Sri Lanka, the tournament's co-host.
Adding fuel to the fire, Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government's sports advisor, claimed that the ICC's security team had validated their concerns, citing increased threats if Mustafizur Rahman was included in the squad, if fans wore Bangladesh jerseys, and due to the upcoming national elections. Nazrul argued that these factors made it "unrealistic and unreasonable" for Bangladesh to play in India. He stated that the ICC security team highlighted three specific issues in a letter to the BCB that could increase security threats to the Bangladesh team in India. These included the inclusion of Mustafizur Rahman in the team, Bangladeshi supporters wearing national jerseys, and the proximity of Bangladesh's national elections.
However, sources within the ICC have refuted these claims, asserting that the governing body has not validated Bangladesh's security concerns. According to an ICC source, the security risk for the tournament has been assessed as "low to moderate," consistent with other major global sporting events, and that no specific or direct threat has been identified to the Bangladesh team. The ICC source also stated that some public comments had selectively referenced its security risk assessment and misrepresented routine contingency planning as concrete threats. An ICC source told PTI that while there had been internal communication with the BCB regarding security in India, Nazrul's claims that the ICC had accepted Bangladesh's listed concerns were false.
The ICC has reportedly rejected claims that it has validated Bangladesh's security concerns in India. The ICC has claimed that the security team hasn't written any letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, validating their safety concerns about travelling to India for the T20 World Cup 2026.
The 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams divided into four groups. Bangladesh is placed in Group C alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage. The schedule, released on November 25, 2025, indicates that the tournament will be played across eight venues, five in India and three in Sri Lanka.
With the ICC unlikely to budge on the venue issue, Bangladesh faces a tough decision: participate in the World Cup in India despite their security concerns or risk forfeiting their place in the tournament. The situation highlights the complex intersection of sports, politics, and security, particularly in the context of Indo-Bangladesh relations.
