T20 World Cup 2026 venue row: Bangladesh open to all venues except India

Bangladesh government’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul on Monday said during a press conference at the Bangladesh Football Federation event that Bangladesh is prepared to play the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup anywhere except India, clearly outlining the country’s position amid growing uncertainty over venues. This comes a day after media reports suggested Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram were being considered as alternative Indian venues for Bangladesh’s matches.

The issue stems from a standoff involving the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and wider political tensions following Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) releasing Mustafizur Rahman on BCCI’s orders.

Nazrul went on to say that Bangladesh has no objection to playing in neutral countries but believes the current environment makes participation in India unfeasible. He added that Bangladesh has formally written to the International Cricket Council and is awaiting a response on venue relocation.

He said changing cities within India would not address Bangladesh’s concerns. According to him, venues outside India, including Sri Lanka, Pakistan, or the United Arab Emirates, would be acceptable alternatives for hosting Bangladesh’s matches.

He also said that Bangladesh is ready to play in Pakistan if the PCB offers to host, as suggested by some newspapers, he added. 

Nazrul referred to a security-related communication, claiming risks could increase if Mustafizur Rahman is included in the squad, if Bangladesh supporters wear national jerseys, and as domestic elections draw closer. He argued that such conditions make it unreasonable for Bangladesh to play in India.

Bangladesh, Nazrul also said, has sent two letters to the ICC and is waiting for clarity. He stressed that expecting Bangladesh to exclude key players or restrict fans was unrealistic and against the spirit of global cricket.

However, Bangladesh’s Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumdar clarified that the cited document was not an ICC security assessment. He said it was an internal inter-departmental note and not an official ICC response to Bangladesh’s request to move matches out of India.