New Delhi, Jan 6: The International Cricket Council is set to engage with the Bangladesh Cricket Board in an effort to resolve the standoff over Bangladesh’s refusal to play their 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches in India, amid strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to reports, a formal call between the ICC and the BCB has been scheduled for Tuesday, during which the global body is expected to urge Bangladesh to honour the existing tournament schedule and play their group-stage fixtures in India as planned.
The 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is slated to run from February 7 to March 8.
Bangladesh are scheduled to open their Group C campaign in Kolkata, facing West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14, before travelling to Mumbai for their final group match against Nepal on February 17.However, the BCB wrote to the ICC on Sunday requesting that all of Bangladesh’s matches be shifted out of India, citing concerns over the “safety and well-being” of its players.
The move followed a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India to Kolkata Knight Riders, asking the IPL franchise to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 season.
Mustafizur had been signed by KKR for INR 9.2 crore at the IPL auction last month. The reasons behind the instruction to release him have not been made public, and it remains unclear who authorised the decision. Notably, there has been no IPL governing council meeting since the auction held on December 16.
In its communication with the ICC, the BCB stated that its stance was based on advice from the Bangladesh government, which had raised concerns regarding the safety and security of Bangladeshi citizens in India under the prevailing circumstances. Despite this, no official travel advisory has been issued by the Bangladesh government, nor have any restrictions been placed on citizens travelling to or residing in India.
The ICC has so far refrained from making a public statement on the matter or responding to media queries.
Senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were present at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Monday, where discussions reportedly took place to assess the situation and chart a way forward.
Within the BCB, it is understood that only a limited group of officials — including board president Aminul Islam and chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury — have been authorised to handle discussions with the ICC and the Bangladesh government as efforts continue to defuse the issue.
As the countdown to the T20 World Cup gathers pace, the ICC faces a delicate balancing act between safeguarding player welfare and preserving the integrity of an already-finalised schedule. (Agencies)
