Will not travel to India under any pressure: Bangladesh on ICC's ultimatum

Bangladesh has taken a firm stance on its participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, reiterating that the national team will not travel to India under any pressure, despite an ultimatum from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to confirm participation by January 21 or risk being replaced in the tournament line-up. 

Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul made it clear on Tuesday that the country will not agree to travel to India for the World Cup unless the conditions set by the ICC are changed. He described the stipulated terms as ‘unreasonable’ and maintained that Bangladesh cannot be forced to play matches in India. Nazrul also referenced past instances—such as Pakistan refusing to play in India—where adjustments were made, insisting Bangladesh’s request for alternative venues is justified.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has proposed playing all four of its group matches in Sri Lanka instead of India, where matches are currently scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai. The board also sought to swap groups with Ireland to remain in Sri Lanka for the duration of the group stage, but this has not been accepted by the ICC.

The ICC’s deadline comes as uncertainty builds over whether Bangladesh will confirm its spot in the 20-team World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka starting February 7, 2026. Officials have signalled that if Bangladesh holds firm on not playing in India, Scotland—currently the highest-ranked non-qualified team—could replace them in the tournament. However, there has been no formal notification to Bangladesh about its exclusion or Scotland’s inclusion yet.

The controversy stemmed from wider diplomatic and cricketing tensions, including the removal of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from an IPL squad—a decision made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that drew a strong reaction in Bangladesh. BCB and government officials have cited security concerns and national pride in refusing to send the team to India, even though the ICC’s own risk assessment reportedly found no direct or specific threats to Bangladesh’s players or officials.

Senior figures in Bangladesh cricket have expressed caution over the uncompromising stance. Former captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto have warned that a hard-line approach could have long-term consequences, suggesting more nuanced diplomacy may be necessary.

As the January 21 deadline nears, the cricketing world is watching closely to see whether Bangladesh will confirm participation under the current schedule or trigger a significant reshuffle in the T20 World Cup line-up.