The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is at the doorstep, but uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation continues. With the ICC refusing the request to shift their matches to Sri Lanka because of safety concerns in India, the ball is now in Bangladesh’s court. The deadline to confirm their participation was January 21, but the world cricket body has has given the Bangladesh Cricket Board one additional day to reconsider its stance and make a final decision.
In an ICC board meeting held over a video conference to address the BCB's concerns about the venues, it was confirmed that the matches will take place in India as planned, as there is no credible security threat to Bangladesh's players, staff, or fans. Sources within the ICC said that the vote was 14 to 2 against the BCB's request, with Pakistan being the only other country to second them.
This situation arose because of the recent political tensions between India and Bangladesh. First, Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the upcoming Indian Premier League, reportedly on instructions from the BCCI. In response, the BCB cited security concerns and announced that the team would not travel to India for its group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. The BCB had even suggested swapping places with Ireland in Group B, which would have allowed Bangladesh to play all their group stage matches in Sri Lanka alongside the co-hosts, Australia, Oman, and Zimbabwe.
If Bangladesh withdraw from the tournament, Scotland will take their place based on current rankings.
Will ICC take action against Bangladesh if they pull out of the T20 World Cup?
Pulling out of a major ICC tournament like the T20 World Cup 2026 is likely to have major repercussions for the BCB, ranging from financial sanctions to possible long-term isolation in the cricketing world.
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In terms of money, they will lose out on approximately $300,000 as participation fees for the group stages. If they were to reach the knockout stages, they would forfeit a higher amount.
According to the ICC's Member Participation Agreement (MPA), a board that withdraws after committing to a global event may face a hefty fine. Also, their revenue share as per the 2024-2027 model (approximately $20 million annually) will probably take a hit.
Bangladesh would also lose ranking points, and since they determine automatic qualification for the next World Cup and the Champions Trophy, they might be forced to play "Qualifiers" against lower-ranked Associate nations.
A withdrawal may also result in the country losing rights to host global ICC events, which will, in turn, seriously affect their local and international sponsorships.
And finally, pulling out of a tournament hosted by India would severely damage the BCB’s relationship with the BCCI. In response, India may refuse to play bilateral series against Bangladesh in future.
The most serious fallout is that if the ICC determines the withdrawal was "politically motivated" rather than based on a "verified security threat", they could suspend the BCB, crippling the country’s cricketing activities and infrastructure in the immediate future.
