The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a 24-hour deadline to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to confirm its participation in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India. Bangladesh’s matches are scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai, but the BCB has cited security concerns and requested relocation to Sri Lanka.
The ICC has rejected this request, stating that all security assessments found no credible threat to the Bangladesh team, and warned that Scotland would replace Bangladesh if they withdraw.
According to The Indian Express, the ICC Board, led by chairman Jay Shah, convened a meeting to address the BCB’s refusal to play in India. The Board, with the exception of Bangladesh and Pakistan, voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh with Scotland if the BCB did not comply with the original schedule.
The ICC emphasised that independent security reviews indicated no threat to Bangladesh’s players, officials, or fans at any Indian venue.
As reported by Financial Express, the ICC’s decision followed an emergency board meeting, where the majority opposed any changes to the tournament plan. The BCB was given 24 hours to confirm participation under the current arrangements, with Scotland, ranked 14th, identified as the likely replacement if Bangladesh withdraws. The ICC reiterated that the Mustafizur Rahman IPL issue was unrelated to World Cup security.
The standoff began after the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman, which led the BCB to request a venue change. The ICC sent a delegation to Dhaka and conducted multiple meetings, but the BCB maintained its stance.
The ICC’s deadline requires Bangladesh to decide or face replacement by Scotland, with the tournament set to begin on 7 February 2026.
As noted in an article by Deccan Herald, Bangladesh government advisor Asif Nazrul stated that the national team would not travel to India under any circumstances, citing national pride and security concerns. He rejected the notion of bowing to ICC or BCCI pressure, and reiterated the BCB’s request to play group matches in Sri Lanka. The ICC’s risk assessment, however, did not flag any specific threat to the team’s participation in India.
Involvement from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was also noted as the PCB communicated support for Bangladesh’s position, citing political and security concerns. The ICC, however, has not altered its stance and expects the tournament to proceed as scheduled, with Bangladesh’s matches in India unless the BCB formally withdraws.
“The ICC’s venue and scheduling decisions are guided by objective threat assessments, host guarantees, and the tournament’s agreed terms of participation, which apply uniformly to all 20 competing nations,” an ICC spokesperson stated, as referenced in multiple official communications.
Despite speculation about Scotland’s replacement, the ICC has not yet made formal contact with Cricket Scotland. Scotland, the highest-ranked team not already qualified, would be next in line if Bangladesh withdraws, but Cricket Scotland has not approached the ICC out of respect for the ongoing situation. The final decision on Bangladesh’s participation is expected imminently as the ICC’s deadline expires.
“If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions,” Bangladesh government advisor Asif Nazrul said, reflecting the BCB’s firm position.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.