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New Delhi: The International Cricket Council will take a call on Bangladesh's participation in the T20 World Cup by January 21.
Bangladesh have refused to play their group games India citing security reasons, insisting it to be removed to co-hosting country Sri Lanka and even suggested a change of groups.
ICC has so far shown reluctance to consider their requests pointing to an assessment report that showed no apparent threat to security.
As Bangladesh have remained form in their stance, ICC have informed them of the Wednesday deadline during discussions in Dhaka on Saturday, reports ESPNcricinfo.
Bangladesh Cricket Board and ICC have held two meetings in the past week. During Saturday's talks BCB reiterated willingness to play in the tournament but outside India, Sri Lanka being the ntural alternative.
Bangladesh are grouped in Group C and are scheduled to play in Kolkata and Mumbai and the impasse has continued for three weeks after BCB informed concerns on January 4.
The tournament begins on February 7 with Bangladesh taking on West Indies on the opening day against West Indies in Kolkata, where they will play their next two games, before moving to Mumbai for their final group game.
The overall threat in India is deemed as medium to high band in an advisory prepared by an independent security agency but without any specified threat to travelling teams.
ICC has sent that advisory to all 20 travelling teams and now is willing to wait till BCB to make up its mind. A replacement team, which will be Scotland based on rankings, will be named if Bangladesh refuse to play in India.
Diplomatic and political tensions between India and Bangladesh have spilled over in cricket after Kolkata Knight Riders removed Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL 2026 squad on instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
No reason has been provided for his exclusion following which Bangladesh government banned IPL's broadcast and BCB expressing reluctance to play in India.
