ICC Turns Down Bangladesh’s Request To Shift World Cup Matches Out of India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) request to relocate their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures from India to Sri Lanka, ESPNcricinfo reported.

According to the report, a virtual meeting between ICC and BCB officials was held on Tuesday, during which the ICC made it clear that Bangladesh must play their scheduled matches in India. The governing body warned that failure to do so would result in forfeiture of points.

No official statement has yet been issued by either the ICC or BCB regarding the outcome of the meeting. The call was arranged after BCB formally wrote to the ICC on Sunday, citing safety concerns and requesting that Bangladesh's matches be shifted to Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh are slated to begin their campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. They will then face Italy on February 9 and England on February 12, both at the same venue, before traveling to Mumbai to play Nepal at Wankhede Stadium. The tournament itself will open on February 7 with Pakistan taking on the Netherlands in Colombo.

Earlier, the BCB had issued a press release stating that the team would not travel to India for the World Cup due to "growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent." The statement followed an emergency board meeting in Dhaka, where directors expressed "deep concern" over the circumstances surrounding Bangladesh's participation in matches scheduled in India.

The controversy intensified after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster. The move came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directed the franchise to release him, citing recent developments in Bangladesh involving atrocities against minorities.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the directive, stating that KKR would be permitted to seek a replacement. Mustafizur's inclusion had already sparked political backlash in India, particularly amid reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The left-arm pacer was signed by KKR for ₹9.20 crore during the December 2025 IPL auction.

With inputs from ANI