T20 World Cup 2026: What will Bangladesh do next? ICC rejects BCB’s request to shift matches out of India

One of the biggest losses for cricket fans has been the rarity of the matches between India and Pakistan in recent years over the political and diplomatic tensions between the two countries. And there seems to be no silver lining in the forseeable future.

Sadly, another on-field rivalry seems to be headed the same way off the field, too. With the relations souring between India and Bangladesh since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government last year and the recent attacks on Hindus in the country, one of the casualties has been the game.

It started with netizens slamming the Kolkata Knight Riders and their co-owner and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan for signing Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman. With religious leaders, too, threatening to boycott the KKR’s matches, the BCCI buckled under pressure and asked the franchise to release Rahman. The Bangladesh Cricket Board retailiated by requesting the ICC to shift their T20 World Cup matches, starting in February in India and Sri Lanka, out of Indian soil citing security concerns.

Reports suggest that the ICC, which is chaired by former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, rejected the BCB’s request and informed it that Bangladesh must play in India or forfeit points. The Bangladesh board, however, has denied any such official communication from the world body.

Though nothing is official yet, the board is now at a crossroads if the reports are true. Here are the options in front of the BCB:

1. Comply and play in India

The simplest choice is for Bangladesh to agree to play their matches in India as scheduled. All cricket boards sign a "Participation Agreement" which obligates them to play at the chosen venues unless an independent security review declares them unsafe. If they take this route, the matches in Kolkata and Mumbai will go ahead. However, this would mean the BCB and the Bangladesh government would have to publicly reverse their stance on feeling unsafe in India.

2. Forfeit specific matches

Another possibility is for the BCB to send the team to India but refuse to play games at venues they believe are too risky. The ICC has already warned this would result in forfeiting the match points. This would give their opponents (England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal) automatic wins and would almost certainly lead to Bangladesh's early exit from the tournament.

3. Withdraw from the tournament

If the Bangladeshi government stands by its directive not to travel to India, the BCB might have no choice but to pull out of the World Cup completely. In this case, the ICC would bring in a replacement team, with Scotland or Jersey being likely candidates. This is the most extreme option and would carry severe consequences, including massive fines, loss of future ICC earnings, and a possible suspension from international cricket.

4. Legal and diplomatic channels

The BCB could request a new security assessment from an independent firm for the venues in Kolkata and Mumbai. If this report deems the security insufficient, it would give the BCB a much stronger argument for moving the matches. They could also appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but with the tournament starting in February 2026, there probably isn’t enough time for a ruling.

5. ‘Hybrid Model’ as a compromise

As a last-ditch effort, the BCB could continue to push for a compromise similar to the 2023 Asia Cup. This "hybrid model" would involve Bangladesh playing its India-based games in Sri Lanka while the rest of the tournament proceeds as planned. Although the ICC initially rejected this idea due to logistical challenges with broadcasting and scheduling, the BCB might offer to pay for all the extra costs involved.