Ireland has firmly responded to a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to swap groups in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, confirming that its schedule remains unchanged. The BCB had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to consider the swap, a move that would allow Bangladesh to play all of its group stage matches in Sri Lanka. This request stems from Bangladesh's reluctance to play their matches in India due to security concerns.

Ireland, however, has received assurances from the ICC that their original schedule will stand. An official from Cricket Ireland told Cricbuzz, "We've received definitive assurances that we won't move from the original schedule. We're definitely playing the Group Stage in Sri Lanka".

The proposed swap would have seen Bangladesh, currently in Group C with England, West Indies, Nepal, and Italy, exchange places with Ireland, who are in Group B alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Oman. Bangladesh's Group C matches are scheduled to be held in Kolkata and Mumbai, while Ireland's Group B games are set for Colombo and Pallekele.

The BCB's request was discussed during a meeting with an ICC delegation in Dhaka. The delegation included Gaurav Saxena, General Manager - Events and Corporate Communications, and Andrew Ephgrave, General Manager of the Integrity Unit. The BCB reiterated its request to relocate Bangladesh's matches to Sri Lanka, also conveying the Bangladesh government's concerns regarding the safety and security of the team, fans, media, and other stakeholders.

The ICC is yet to issue an official decision on Bangladesh’s request.

This situation places the ICC in a potentially awkward position, highlighting the logistical challenges of co-hosting a major tournament across multiple nations. The ICC must balance Bangladesh's concerns with the need to maintain the integrity of the established schedule and the interests of other participating teams. According to cricket journalist Nathan Jones, the ICC has ruled out the possibility of swapping the groups, assuring Ireland that their schedule will remain unchanged.

Recent matches between Ireland and Bangladesh have shown a mixed bag of results. In a recent T20I series in November 2025, Bangladesh won two matches, while Ireland secured a victory in one. Bangladesh also won both Test matches in the same tour.

The T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will feature 20 teams competing in 55 matches. The tournament is scheduled from February 7 to March 8, 2026.