New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (BCCI) rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) demand to shift its T20 World Cup matches out of India, deciding in its Board meeting that the tournament “will proceed as scheduled with Bangladesh’s matches to be played in India”.
The decision was taken following the meeting held via video conference, which was convened to discuss a “way forward”, an ICC statement said on Wednesday. It has given BCB one day to inform the world body on its participation. If Bangladesh don’t come, ICC can name Scotland as replacement.
“The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India,” the release said.
An ICC spokesperson said in the statement that the global governing body has over the past several weeks engaged with the BCB “in sustained and constructive dialogue, with the clear objective of enabling Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.”
ICC shared detailed inputs, “including independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities, all of which consistently concluded that there is no credible or verifiable threat to the safety or security of the Bangladesh team in India.”
The BCB wrote to ICC on January 4 seeking a shifting of the team’s matches to co-host Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns playing in India. It came a day after the Indian cricket board (BCCI) asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who was bought in the auction for Rs.9.2 crore, from its roster for the IPL 2026. This came amid deteriorating ties between the two neighbouring countries and attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh are in Group C with England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies. The BCB had suggested to the ICC that it be switched to Group B (it has Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Oman and Ireland) whose league matches are to be played in Sri Lanka, and Ireland moved to Group C. However, ICC officials who held a meeting with Bangladesh cricket officials did not give any assurance.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to start on February 7. The final will be played on March 8. Bangladesh are slotted in to play their league matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The ICC spokesperson said despite its safety assurances, “the BCB maintained its position, repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its player’s involvement in a domestic league. This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in it.”
