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The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to hold talks with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to resolve Bangladesh’s refusal to play its matches in India during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, citing safety concerns amid deteriorating bilateral relations.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC has scheduled a call with the BCB on Tuesday, during which the global governing body is expected to urge Bangladesh to honour the existing tournament schedule and play its group-stage matches in India.
Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup Schedule in India
The 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, will run from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh are placed in Group C and are scheduled to play their first three matches at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens — against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14. Their final group-stage fixture against Nepal is slated to be held in Mumbai on February 17.
However, on Sunday, the BCB formally wrote to the ICC requesting that all of Bangladesh’s matches be shifted outside India, citing concerns over the “safety and well-being” of its players.
Link to Mustafizur Rahman Controversy
The issue escalated following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directing IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 season. No official reason was publicly given for the directive.
Mustafizur was bought by KKR for ₹9.2 crore (approximately USD 1.02 million) at the IPL auction held last month. It remains unclear who authorised the decision, and sources indicate that no IPL Governing Council meeting has taken place since the December 16 auction.
Bangladesh Government’s Advisory
In its communication to the ICC, the BCB stated that it was acting on the “advice” of the Bangladesh government, which had raised concerns regarding the safety and security of Bangladeshi citizens in India under the “prevailing situation.” Notably, the Bangladesh government has not issued any official travel advisory or imposed restrictions on travel to India.
ICC Yet to Issue Official Statement
The ICC has so far refrained from making a public comment on the matter. Senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were present at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Monday, where discussions reportedly took place regarding the situation and possible next steps.
On the Bangladesh side, only a small group of senior officials — including BCB president Aminul Islam and chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury — have been authorised to engage with the ICC and the Bangladesh government on the issue.
