Bangladesh’s national cricket team is set to meet with Asif Nazrul, the Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, on Thursday as pressure mounts over the country’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The meeting, called by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in Dhaka, is aimed at briefing players on the contentious situation and hearing their views before a critical decision is made.
The extraordinary developments come after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh’s request to relocate their World Cup matches out of India to Sri Lanka, where co‑hosting fixtures are also planned. The BCB had sought the shift citing security and political concerns, particularly following the removal of pace spearhead Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the resulting diplomatic tensions between the 2 nations.
Although the ICC maintained that independent security assessments show no credible threat to the Bangladesh team, the board’s appeal for a venue change was turned down during an emergency board meeting, putting Dhaka’s continued presence in the tournament in jeopardy. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
The government adviser’s session with players is part of broader efforts to gauge the squad’s position and explore possible paths forward as negotiations continue. Senior players, including star batter Najmul Hossain Shanto, have publicly expressed their desire to compete in the World Cup despite the ongoing standoff.
In parallel, Pakistan’s cricket board has offered to host Bangladesh’s matches if the standoff persists, underlining regional concern over the impasse. Bangladesh’s fate now hinges on the outcome of this meeting and further talks between the BCB, government officials, and the ICC. If Dhaka refuses to send its team to India under the current arrangements, it may risk forfeiting its place in the tournament with Scotland being widely seen as the likely replacement should Bangladesh ultimately withdraw.
ICC Delegation To Visit Bangladesh Amid T20 World Cup Venue Dispute: Reports
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to send a delegation to Bangladesh in the coming days to hold in-person discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over their participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7. The move comes after previous attempts to resolve the issue through emails and virtual meetings failed to yield a breakthrough.
According to ICC sources cited by IANS, “The delegation will travel to Bangladesh in a few days for a final one-on-one meeting with BCB officials regarding the T20 World Cup, and a decision will be announced after it.” The visit is being seen as a crucial step to resolve the impasse and ensure Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.
The dispute arises from Bangladesh’s firm stance against playing matches in India, following the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) request that IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) remove Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad. The issue has prompted the BCB and the country’s sports ministry to insist on relocating their matches outside India.
Earlier, the ICC had held a video conference with the BCB, during which the Bangladesh board reiterated its request to move matches outside India. While the ICC highlighted that the tournament schedule is already finalised and urged the BCB to reconsider, both sides agreed to continue discussions in an effort to reach a resolution.
Bangladesh is scheduled to play three matches in India: against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 in Kolkata, before moving to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17. The ICC’s upcoming delegation visit is expected to clarify whether these fixtures will proceed as planned or be rescheduled.
