ICC drawing fresh schedule for T20 World Cup 2026 after Bangladesh refuse to travel to India - Report
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly drawing a fresh schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)'s request to move their matches in the tournament out of India.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly drawing up a fresh schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally requested the world body to shift their matches in the tournament out of India. The T20 World Cup 2026, which is set to get underway next month, will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
BCB decided to formally write to the ICC and request the governing body to move their matches away from India in the marquee tournament after the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad, citing 'recent developments' in the neighbouring country.
BCCI's decision is believed to have come amid intensified pressure and massive outrage on social media for letting a Bangladeshi player feature in the IPL amid atrocities on the Hindu minorities in the country. Left-arm seamer Mustafizur was bought by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction last month.
As per a report in the Indian Express, ICC, led by chairman Jay Shah, has initiated the process of forming a fresh schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026 after BCB's request amid growing bilateral tensions between India and Bangladesh. The BCB's decision not to send the Bangladesh team to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 came after the country's government reacted strongly to the BCCI's move to release Rahman from KKR's squad
In a statement released on Sunday, January 04, the Bangladesh Cricket Board stated that it won't send the Bangladesh cricket team to India for their matches in the T20 World Cup 2026, owing to safety and security concerns. BCB said the decision was taken on the advice of the Bangladesh government amid the prevailing situation between the two countries.
As per the current schedule, Bangladesh are scheduled to play all four of their group-stage matches in India. Bangladesh, who are placed in Group C for the T20 World Cup, are scheduled to play three of their matches, including their opener against West Indies in Kolkata and their final group-stage match against Nepa; at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 17.
Bangladesh government bans IPL broadcast in country
Amid the row over pacer Mustafizur Rahman's exclusion from KKR's squad for IPL 2026, the Bangladesh government has decided to indefinitely ban the broadcast of all IPL matches in the country. On Monday, the Bangladesh government released an official notification, imposing a ban on IPL in the country with immediate effect. In its statement, the Bangladesh government claimed the decision was taken in "public interest” and approved by the relevant authority.