The International Cricket Council (ICC) has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to reconsider its decision not to play its scheduled matches in India during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, after a video conference between the two parties failed to resolve the dispute on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
In the discussions, the ICC highlighted that the tournament itinerary has already been finalised and publicly announced, and asked the BCB to soften its stance on travelling to India. The global body emphasised the logistical challenges of altering the official schedule at this late stage.
Amid all the conversations, the BCB does not want to change their standpoint and said, "I already said India means India. We are talking about India; we did not say Kolkata. So our position is, if you change it from Kolkata and give another venue - Sri Lanka can be given, no problem," Nazrul told reporters at the Bangladesh Football Federation, as quoted by cricbuzz.
BCB cited security concerns
Nazrul further stated that an ICC security assessment report had flagged potential concerns should Mustafizur Rahman be included in the squad, especially when supporters are unable to freely move around wearing the national jersey. Emphasising that there has been no progress on the cricketing front, Nazrul said the board had already sent two formal communications and is now awaiting a response from the ICC.
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He also added, “I saw in the newspapers, I do not know whether it is true or false, that Pakistan has offered to host our tournaments. Hold it in Pakistan, no problem. Hold it in the United Arab Emirates, no problem.”
Adding to that, he raised concerns about "If Mustafizur is included in the Bangladesh team, if supporters of the Bangladesh team move around wearing Bangladesh's national jersey, which is our national jersey and as the election comes closer, the security risk for the Bangladesh team will allegedly increase.”
'It has become impossible for Bangladesh to play cricket in India'
Nazrul said the ICC security assessment had effectively ruled out Bangladesh playing the T20 World Cup in India, stressing that excluding Mustafizur Rahman, restricting fans from wearing national jerseys, or delaying national elections was unacceptable. Citing an aggressive communal climate and a sustained anti-Bangladesh campaign in India over the past 16 months, the playing conditions in India. “We believe that, considering the aggressive communal situation prevailing in India and the anti-Bangladesh environment there, especially the continuous anti-Bangladesh campaign that has been going on for the past 16 months, it has become impossible for Bangladesh to play cricket in India,” he said.
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The controversy stems from broader tensions between cricketing authorities and political sensitivities, following the decision by the Indian Premier League authority to select the Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who is owned by SRK's franchise, which triggered diplomatic and sporting concerns in Dhaka. The BCB has repeatedly linked the safety of travelling to India with that issue, though the ICC has not confirmed any official risk assessment that would justify relocation.
