Bangladesh Will Not Travel to India for T20 World Cup 2026: Cricket Board

DHAKA, January 22, 2026: Bangladesh has announced that it will not travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the country’s cricket board confirmed on Thursday. This decision comes a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches to Sri Lanka.

BCB President Confirms Decision

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul told reporters, “Our only demand is to play the World Cup — but not in India.” This statement effectively rules out Bangladesh’s participation in the mega event, scheduled to begin on February 7, 2026.

The decision followed a meeting between BCB officials, national players, and Bangladesh’s Adviser for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Asif Nazrul.

Security Concerns Remain

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Nazrul said Bangladesh’s decision was driven by real security concerns. He noted that the country had raised a specific incident where Indian authorities reportedly failed to provide protection for a Bangladeshi cricketer under threat from extremist groups.

“The security situation in India remains unchanged,” Nazrul said. “Our concerns did not arise out of thin air. The ICC did not give us justice, and we still hope they will act fairly.”

ICC Rejected Relocation Request

Earlier, Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move its matches to Sri Lanka for safety reasons. The ICC rejected the request after a board meeting on Wednesday, citing no change in the official security assessment.

Impact on T20 World Cup

Bangladesh’s withdrawal may affect the tournament’s scheduling and group stage matches. Security and diplomatic tensions have previously caused cricket boards to reconsider participation in host countries.

Despite the decision, Bangladesh Cricket Board officials stressed their commitment to participating in future international cricket events once security concerns are resolved.