T20 World Cup 2026: BCB says ICC committed to Bangladesh’s uninterrupted, smooth participation in India

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring Bangladesh's uninterrupted participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The development came on Wednesday after Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials met with the ICC board members, following the BCB's refusal to travel to India for the global event in protest against Mustafizur Rahman's ouster from the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In a media release by the BCB, it said that the ICC is willing to address the concerns raised by the country's cricket board and will consider all inputs for a detailed security plan for the event.

“The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the Board's inputs will be welcomed and duly considered as part of the detailed security planning for the event,” the BCB said in a statement.

Following Mustafizur's removal from IPL, the BCB wrote to ICC about their decision not to travel to the neighbouring country, citing the safety and security of their players. Mustafizur was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹9.20 crore last month during the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.

However, upon BCCI's orders, the three-time IPL champions had to release the Bangladeshi left-arm quick amid the political imbalance between the two countries, with the Indian Board citing “recent developments that are going on all across”. Sri Lanka is the co-host of the T20 World Cup 2026.

In its statement, the BCB too promised a constructive engagement with the ICC to arrive at an “affable and practical solution that ensures the smooth and successful participation of the team in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.” 

The global event starts on 7 February.

“The Bangladesh Cricket Board remains firmly committed to placing the highest priority on the safety, security and well-being of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team,” it further added.

BCB denies ‘false’ media claims over ICC meeting

The BCB also addressed certain media reports which said that the ICC had rejected the Board's request for a shift in venue. BCB, in its letter, had appealed to shift their matches from India to Sri Lanka. Notably, Pakistan will play all their matches on Lankan soil.

Denying all the claims as “false,” BCB said that it does not reflect their communication with the ICC. 

“The BCB categorically states that such claims are completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received from the ICC," it said.

In the T20 World Cup 2026, Bangladesh have been clubbed in Group C with West Indies, Nepal, England and Italy. While three of Bangladesh's group matches are scheduled at iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bangladesh's final group encounter is at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

Bangladesh's T20 World Cup 2026 schedule