DHAKA (Kashmir English): Bangladesh will decide on their participation in the T20 World Cup, and specifically whether the team will travel to India, by January 21, following discussions in Dhaka where the International Cricket Council (ICC) reportedly conveyed a deadline to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to decide the matter.
During their second meeting in a week with the ICC on Saturday, the BCB expressed its desire to continue to be part of the T20 World Cup but requested matches be held outside India over security concerns, suggesting co-host Sri Lanka as an alternative.
The ICC, however, rejected the plea, keeping Bangladesh in Group C and assuring there is no security threat to the team while touring and playing in India.
The report claimed that the ICC also turned down the BCB’s request to move Bangladesh to Group B, swapping places with Ireland.
Some media reports indicate that the ICC will wait for the BCB’s decision regarding participation in the tournament, and if it chooses not to travel to India, Scotland will be named as the replacement team based on current rankings.
The issue has remained unresolved for nearly three weeks after the BCB first formally conveyed its concerns on January 4.
T20 World Cup to begin on Feb 7
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, and Bangladesh are currently slated to play their opening match against West Indies in Kolkata, followed by two more group games at the same venue, before concluding their group-stage fixtures in Mumbai.
The controversy and BCB concerns trace back to the removal of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad on instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), without any official explanation.
This development was followed by the Bangladesh government banning the broadcast of the IPL in the country, after which the BCB formally informed the ICC of its refusal to play T20 World Cup matches in India — a position it has maintained since.
