Bangladesh Stick To Sri Lanka Demand, Risk T20 World Cup Exit Awaiting ICC’s Answer

Bangladesh had remained firm on playing in Sri Lanka despite the ICC warning of replacement at the T20 World Cup.

A day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) warned Bangladesh that they could be replaced at the upcoming T20 World Cup if they refused to play in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reiterated its demand to shift its matches to Sri Lanka.

The decision followed a meeting held in Dhaka on Thursday involving Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul, BCB president Aminul Islam, BCB CEO Nizamuddin, and several national team players. Those present included Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Jaker Ali, Tanzid Hasan, and Saif Hassan. The outcome of the meeting has left Bangladesh facing the possibility of missing the tournament, which begins on February 7.

“We will go back to the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka. They did give us a 24-hour ultimatum but a global body can’t really do that. ICC will miss out on 200 million people watching the World Cup. It will be their loss,” Aminul said at a press conference after the meeting.

Bangladesh Government Decided Not To Go To India

Nazrul made it clear that the government remains firm on its position. “We are hopeful that ICC will give us the opportunity to play in Sri Lanka. It is our government who has decided not to go to India,” he said.

Bangladesh are placed in Group C alongside England, Italy, West Indies, and Nepal. As per the original schedule, they are set to play their first three matches in Kolkata and their final group game in Mumbai. Their campaign is scheduled to begin against West Indies on February 7, the opening day of the tournament.

On Wednesday, following an ICC board meeting, the global body formally rejected Bangladesh’s request to move their matches to Sri Lanka on security grounds. The ICC then gave the BCB 24 hours to consult the Bangladesh government and confirm whether the team would travel to India.

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The security concerns emerged earlier this month after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on January 3, asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad. While no official reason was provided, the decision came amid strained diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

ICC Rejects BCB’s Earlier Plea

On January 4, the BCB wrote to the ICC, stating after consultation with the government that Bangladesh would not travel to India for the T20 World Cup due to security concerns. The board has maintained this stance through multiple rounds of discussions with the ICC.

However, the ICC dismissed the Mustafizur Rahman episode as a valid justification. In its communication, the ICC stated that the BCB was “repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its player’s involvement in a domestic league.”

With the deadline fast approaching, Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup remains uncertain as the standoff with the ICC continues.