BCB, ICC hold talks over BD’s T20 World Cup participation
Sports Reporter :
Uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup has not yet subsided.
A video conference between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was held on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing controversy over Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20I World Cup 2026 on Indian venues.
For BCB, president Aminul Islam, vice presidents Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, director and chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedeen, and chief executive officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury were present during the video conference.
In the conference, the BCB continued with its stand of not travelling to India for the T20 World Cup fixtures, citing security concerns.
Bangladesh’s cricketing body also reiterated its request for the ICC to consider relocating its matches out of India to a neutral venue.
On the other hand, ICC noted that the tournament itinerary has already been announced and requested the BCB to reconsider its stance.
However, BCB reaffirmed its decision. Later, ICC and BCB agreed that discussions would continue to explore a solution to the matter.
The two sides agreed that discussions will continue to find a possible solution. The BCB also strongly reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of players, officials and staff.
Earlier, the ICC’s security department had sent a letter stating ‘three concerns’ regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the India World Cup.
Bangladesh’s star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad in the IPL in the face of protests from hardline Hindutva organisations. But BCCI and IPL franchise has mentioned the reason behind this.
As a result, concerns arose about the safety of the entire Bangladesh team Meanwhile, the ICC T20I World Cup 2026 will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, starting February 7.
Bangladesh are scheduled to begin their campaign against two-time champions West Indies at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, followed by a match against Italy on February 9 at the same venue.