The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has dismissed claims that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued an ultimatum requiring Bangladesh to travel to India for the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, insisting that recent media reports have misrepresented the nature of its communication with the global governing body.
In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the BCB confirmed that it has received a response from the ICC regarding concerns raised over the safety and security of the Bangladesh national team in India, including a request to relocate Bangladesh’s World Cup matches.
According to the BCB, the ICC has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring Bangladesh’s full and uninterrupted participation in the tournament and has expressed willingness to work closely with the board to address the security concerns raised. The ICC has invited the BCB to provide further input, assuring that Bangladesh’s views will be duly considered as part of the tournament’s detailed security planning.
The BCB categorically rejected reports suggesting that the ICC had warned Bangladesh to play in India or risk forfeiting points.
“Such claims are completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received from the ICC,” the BCB said in its statement.
Earlier, an ESPNcricinfo report claimed that the ICC had rejected Bangladesh’s request to move its matches out of India and told the BCB during a virtual meeting that the team must travel to India or face the risk of losing points.
This was the first formal response from the ICC since the BCB wrote on 04 January, requesting that Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches be relocated outside India on security grounds.
Sources familiar with the correspondence said the ICC has asked the BCB to clarify and elaborate on the specific nature of the security concerns. The BCB is expected to send a detailed reply to the ICC later on Wednesday.
A BCB director confimed that the board remains engaged in ongoing discussions with the ICC and is seeking a practical and mutually acceptable solution.
The issue has emerged amid heightened tension in Bangladesh’s cricketing relationship with India following the withdrawal of left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League on the directive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
In response, the BCB escalated the matter to the ICC, decided not to send the team to India for the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on 07 February and banned the broadcast of the IPL in Bangladesh.
Despite the standoff, the BCB reiterated that it remains committed to constructive engagement with the ICC and event authorities, while maintaining that the safety, security and well-being of the Bangladesh national team will remain its highest priority.
