T20 World Cup: Bangladesh refuses India travel citing 'security concerns'

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday said it will not send its national team to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the Daily Star reported.

According to the report, the BCB has cited concerns over the safety of its players and support staff. The board may also reportedly request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift Bangladesh’s matches from India to Sri Lanka.

The decision comes a day after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed the exclusion of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 squad. This came after a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season,” KKR said in a statement.

Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the apex cricket body had instructed KKR to release the Rahman “due to the recent developments”.

“Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement,” Saikia told ANI.

The inclusion of the Bangladesh player had triggered backlash in India, particularly amid reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.

Rahamn was picked up by KKR for ?9.20 crore at the IPL auction held in December 2025.

Bangladesh are scheduled to open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The ICC has not yet issued a formal response to the BCB’s request to shift venues.  (With inputs from agencies)