Bangladesh have decided not to participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup in India due to serious security concerns for their players. Originally scheduled to play four group-stage matches in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate the fixtures. Despite multiple discussions, the ICC did not provide a positive response, leaving Bangladesh with no option but to withdraw from the tournament.
While the team’s name has not yet been officially removed, participation is now effectively impossible. Culture Adviser Mostafa Sarwar Farooki has criticised the ICC for taking a different stance on Bangladesh compared with India and Pakistan.
The issue first surfaced after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the IPL. Following threats from extremist elements in India, concerns over Mustafizur’s safety led to his removal. This incident prompted the BCB to highlight player security risks in India ahead of the World Cup.
Farooki highlighted recent violent incidents, writing on social media:
“Recently, multiple people have been beaten to death in India over suspicion of being Bangladeshi. Just yesterday, The Telegraph of India reported that a Muslim man born in West Bengal, Manzur Laskar, was beaten to death for allegedly being Bangladeshi. These incidents underline the very real security threat our players could face.”
He added:
“When these attacks are viewed alongside the long-standing anti-Bangladesh sentiment that led to Mustafizur’s IPL exclusion, it is clear that Bangladeshi players would face genuine and serious risks in India.”
