The International Cricket Council is understood to be exploring contingency options for the men’s T20 World Cup in 2026 after Bangladesh expressed reservations about playing its matches in India according to a report by The Indian Express, although no official decision or schedule change has been confirmed.
On Sunday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board wrote to the ICC outlining security concerns and requesting that its fixtures be moved to Sri Lanka. The report adds that the ICC, chaired by Jay Shah, has begun internal discussions about alternative arrangements should the situation escalate.
None of the developments have been formally announced by the ICC, and officials from the governing body have not publicly confirmed that a revised schedule is being prepared.
The backdrop to the issue is a deterioration in relations between the BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, which intensified following the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. Rahman had been signed by KKR for INR 9.20 crore at the auction in Abu Dhabi before the franchise was asked by the BCCI to release him.
KKR subsequently let the fast bowler go, a move that prompted the BCB to call an emergency meeting. On Sunday, the board issued a statement acknowledging it had contacted the ICC regarding its concerns.
“We have written to the ICC requesting that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka owing to growing concerns regarding the safety and security of our players and support staff,” the statement said.
The report in The Indian Express notes that the episode has echoes of the long-standing India–Pakistan situation, where political tensions have frequently forced neutral venues and late logistical changes at major ICC events.
For now, the matter remains unofficial, with the ICC facing a familiar challenge of balancing member concerns, tournament logistics and geopolitical realities, should the issue move beyond correspondence and into formal decision-making.
