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The Bangladesh Cricket Board has denied reports of receiving an ultimatum from the International Cricket Council over their participation in the T20 World Cup games in India.
In an official statement, the BCB confirmed approaching the ICC asking for a change in venues, citing security concerns in India, but rubbished reports that their request was rejected.
Media reports of Bangladesh being told to play in India or forfeit points were all over the internet on Wednesday morning.
However, BCB claims that no such warning was communicated to them. On the contrary, ICC is "willing to work closely" with it to address "security concerns" around the team's participation in India.
"In its communication, the ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament. 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 the release.
The BCB also firmly rejected reports that it had been served any ultimatum by the ICC.
"The BCB has also taken note of certain reports published in a section of the media suggesting that the Board has been issued an ultimatum in this regard. 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," BCB added.
The India-Bangladesh IPL controversy intensified when Kolkata Knight Riders axed Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the BCCI amidst attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Cricket Board responded by requesting ICC to shift its matches out of India due to concerns over player safety.
Bangladesh are set to open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 with a Group C clash against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The team will play their next two matches - against Italy on February 9 before and England - at the same venue. Their final group fixture is scheduled for February 17 against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
