Bangladesh’s absence from the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has prompted the government to assure financial compensation for the national cricketers, who will miss out on prize money and match fees following the decision.
For the first time, a men’s T20 World Cup will be held without Bangladesh. Citing security concerns, the government issued a direct instruction not to send the team to co-host India. The ICC subsequently replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in Group C, effectively ruling the Tigers out of the tournament.
As a result, Bangladesh players are set to lose ICC prize money and match fees, with the combined financial impact estimated at a minimum of around USD 200,000.
Tournament planned to offset losses
On 29 January 2026, Youth and Sports Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam confirmed that steps were being taken to compensate the affected cricketers. Speaking to journalists after the inauguration of the Ninety Nine Sports Club in Eskaton, Dhaka, he said a domestic tournament would be organised to offset the losses.
“The financial aspect is obviously involved, but our top priority is the security of our cricketers,” Mahbub-ul-Alam said. “Our adviser has already discussed the matter with the Bangladesh Cricket Board and decided to organise a tournament for the players. The details will be communicated through the BCB, and the BCB president will brief you. The government will not organise it directly; the cricket board will handle everything.”
BCL in ODI format under consideration
The proposed competition is expected to be the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) in the ODI format. Players who were part of the T20 World Cup squad are likely to feature, alongside cricketers from the national setup in the other two formats and emerging players from the domestic pipeline.
Mahbub-ul-Alam stressed that the tournament would benefit a broader pool of players rather than a select group.
“The national team usually consists of 15 to 20 players,” he said. “If a tournament is organised, players beyond that group will also be included. Those who were in the World Cup squad will certainly be there, but other prominent cricketers will also get the opportunity.”
Timing yet to be confirmed
The Youth and Sports Secretary did not confirm a start date for the tournament. However, there is speculation that the ODI-format BCL could begin shortly after the national elections.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board is keen to stage the competition with an eye on preparations for the upcoming three-match ODI and T20I series against Pakistan in March 2026.
