Bangladesh has officially declined to travel to India for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, citing serious security concerns linked to worsening political relations between the two countries. The Bangladesh Cricket Board said the decision was taken after a comprehensive review of the prevailing situation and on the advice of the Bangladesh government.
Tensions reportedly escalated after the Indian cricket authorities instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, a move that raised further concerns within the Bangladesh camp. Bangladesh was scheduled to play matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, beginning with an opening fixture against West Indies at Eden Gardens on February 7. With the tournament less than a month away, the decision has forced the International Cricket Council to reassess key scheduling arrangements.
In its official statement, the Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed that its directors unanimously agreed that the national team would not travel to India under the current conditions. The board has formally requested the ICC to relocate all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India. The request followed public support from Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul, who said the move was taken in response to what he described as discriminatory policies by Indian cricket authorities.
According to reports, the BCB held multiple virtual meetings over a 24-hour period before reaching a final decision. While an initial meeting failed to reach a conclusion, a subsequent session involving 17 board directors resulted in a unanimous resolution to inform the ICC of Bangladesh’s stance. A senior BCB official stated that the decision was influenced by India’s inability to guarantee security for Mustafizur Rahman, raising doubts about the safety of the entire team, as well as travelling fans and journalists.
Relocating Bangladesh’s matches may pose logistical challenges, as the 2026 T20 World Cup is jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and does not operate under a hybrid hosting model. It remains uncertain whether the ICC will approve the request to move Bangladesh’s fixtures outside India.
Separately, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has also written to the Indian cricket authorities seeking clarification over Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. While the letter references earlier assurances regarding his availability for the IPL auction, broader security concerns have been communicated directly to the ICC rather than the Indian board.
