Key officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) landed in Dhaka on Saturday (January 17) to have a crucial meeting with senior members of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) regarding relocation of Bangladesh matches in T20 World Cup 2026. The deadlock continues with the BCB adamant about Bangladesh's refusal to play their matches in India, even as the ICC remain optimistic about convincing them.
However, a major solution has been suggested by the BCB during this meeting with ICC officials and that is regarding a possible change in Bangladesh's grouping. The BCB has requested to the groupings of Bangladesh and Ireland as a possible solution to this deadlock. Ireland are placed in Group B alongside Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Oman.
Most importantly, Ireland play all their fixtures in Sri Lanka - three matches in Colombo and one fixture in Pallekele. A venue change for Bangladesh alone would mean a logistical nightmare and as things stand now, the ICC is unlikely to approve that request. However, if it is about swapping the groups of two teams, it would require the consent of Cricket Ireland as well.
The interesting to note is that the ICC had allegedly assured Ireland that their group wouldn't be changed and that all games would be in Sri Lanka as planned. Now that the BCB has come with this suggestion, the situation will get trickier, especially with the stand-off refusing to cease.
Bangladesh are currently in Group B alongside England, West Indies, Italy and Nepal. Three of Bangladesh's league games are scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata while the other fixture is slated to be hosted at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Discussions are still in progress between ICC and BCB with a solution expected to be found sooner than later. Remember, time is running out as the T20 World Cup isn't far away.