The drama around Bangladesh's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign is reportedly set to near its climax. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to hold direct conversations with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) regarding venue relocation of Bangladesh's matches in the showpiece tournament. As per schedule, all of Bangladesh's league matches are slated to be held in India.
The BCB on Sunday (January 4) had sent out a press release, stating that their men's national team wouldn't be travelling to India for the T20 World Cup that starts on February 7. The BCB's decision is allegedly made on the back of the Bangladesh government's recommendation, much like how the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026.
The Indian government reportedly had a say in the KKR-Mustafizur matter and that incident clearly upset Bangladesh and BCB, with the T20 World Cup incident serving as a straightforward reaction to the same. The BCB had written to the ICC requesting for venue relocation, citing security concerns as the major reason behind their decision.
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The BCB have expressed their disinterest in having direct communication with the BCCI on this topic and have opted to speak to the ICC instead. However, there seems to be a twist in the tale. The ICC, according to ESPNCricinfo, is set to request the BCB to adhere to the initial schedule, meaning Bangladesh will have to travel to India for the tournament.
ICC chairman Jay Shah was in Mumbai on Monday (January 5) to meet the senior BCCI officials on this sensitive matter. The BCB's letter to the ICC had the mention of the Bangladesh government which has expressed its reservations against player safety for the tournament. However, the ICC is expected to dig deep into this negotiation battle as logistical headaches are inevitable if the schedule changes.
