New Delhi: A dispute has emerged between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India. Following discussions between the two bodies, it was learned that the ICC has conveyed to the BCB that Bangladesh must play its scheduled matches in India or risk forfeiting points. However, the BCB has strongly denied that any such ultimatum was issued.
BCB president and former Bangladesh captain Aminul Islam dismissed reports suggesting the ICC had issued a threat or ultimatum to the board. Later, the BCB released an official statement clarifying its position and detailing its communication with the ICC.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has received response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the Board’s expressed concerns over the safety and security of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team in India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, including the request for relocation of the team’s matches,” BCB said in a statement.
“In its communication, the ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament. The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the Board’s inputs will be welcomed and duly considered as part of the detailed security planning for the event,” it said.
“The BCB has also taken note of certain reports published in a section of the media suggesting that the Board has been issued an ultimatum in this regard. The BCB categorically states that such claims are completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received from the ICC,” it said.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board remains firmly committed to placing the highest priority on the safety, security and well-being of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team. The Board will continue constructive engagement with the ICC and relevant event authorities in a cooperative and professional manner to arrive at an affable and practical solution that ensures the smooth and successful participation of the team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026,” it added.
The ICC, meanwhile, has neither confirmed nor denied whether any warning regarding forfeiture of points was conveyed to the BCB.
The controversy began after the BCB wrote to the ICC stating that it would not be able to send the Bangladesh team to India for the World Cup, citing security concerns. In India, it is widely believed that these concerns are less about on-ground security and more political in nature, allegedly linked to Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s release from IPL 2026 by Kolkata Knight Riders following a directive from the BCCI.
It is understood that this argument was discussed to prevent any last-minute schedule changes, which could have forced Bangladesh’s group matches out of India and into co-host Sri Lanka, and potentially impacted later stages of the tournament if Bangladesh progressed.
Sources indicate that the ICC has informed the BCB that it has found no credible or specific security threat to the Bangladesh team in India and, for now, intends to stick to the existing schedule.
Tensions escalated further after Bangladesh’s interim government reportedly denied permission to its cricket board to send the team to India and imposed a ban on IPL telecasts in Bangladesh following Rahman’s IPL release.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and vice-president Rajiv Shukla are believed to have had informal discussions with ICC chairman Jay Shah on Monday at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Neither the BCCI nor the ICC has issued an official comment on these talks.
“We, along with all the directors of the cricket board, held two meetings before taking the decision and at this moment we do not feel secure sending our team to India to play the World Cup,” BCB president Aminul Islam is quoted by ESPN Cricinfo as having told reporters on Monday.
“So we wrote a letter to the ICC, and in that we clearly stated what we wanted to say. Because to us, security appeared to be a major concern and that is what we are following. We have sent an email to the ICC and we are expecting them to tell us to have a meeting with them soon where we will express our concern,” he said.
“But what our next step will be depends on the reply to the email we have sent. We do not know what feedback will come (from ICC), but the clauses we have given are within the MPO. We are not communicating with the BCCI because this is an ICC event. We are communicating with the ICC,” he said.
The development comes just weeks before the 20-team tournament begins, with matches scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh, placed in Group C, are slated 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 their final group match in Mumbai on February 17.
