Board meeting decides: ICC to pick alternate team if Bangladesh won’t play in India
Sports Reporter :
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given Bangladesh one day to make a final decision on the team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which starts from 7th February.
The ICC has refused to accept Bangladesh’s request to move their matches outside of India, and if BCB remains steadfast on their demand, then the ICC will be forced to pick a replacement team.
A vote was held at the ICC Board meeting on Wednesday. Representatives from all full member countries and several top ICC officials participated in the meeting.
The vote decided to take an alternative team to replace Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup, If BCB not to send a team to India due to security concerns.
Cricket-based website Cricinfo says, most of the members who participated in the discussion were in favour of Bangladesh going to India to play. If Bangladesh won’t play, it will decide to include Scotland as an alternative.
However, before it is implemented, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been asked to discuss with the Bangladesh Government and inform the final decision. The ICC has given Bangladesh one day to inform them of its final decision.
BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Debjit Saikia, participated in that meeting, chaired by ICC Chairman Jay Shah. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman Mike Baird, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) President Tavenga Mukulani, Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Kishore Shallow, Cricket Ireland Chairman Brian McNeese, Cricket New Zealand Representative Roger Toose, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chairman Richard Thompson, South Africa Cricket (SAC) representative Mohammed Musaji and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman Mirwais Ashraf were present that meeting.
The standoff follows Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India for its group-stage matches, citing security concerns and national considerations. Bangladesh are scheduled to play three league matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.
The ICC, however, has shown reluctance to alter the tournament schedule, which has already been finalised. The governing body is also unwilling to shift Bangladesh’s matches to co-host Sri Lanka, where the India-Pakistan fixture will be held, in line with the mutually agreed hosting arrangements for ICC events until 2027.
