The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday said it is unaware of any communication between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding Bangladesh’s reported request to move its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches outside India.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said the Indian board is “not in the loop” on the matter.
“As of now, the BCCI is not aware of any communication between the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the ICC. Once we receive any information, we will keep you updated,” Saikia told ANI.
The clarification comes after reports emerged that the BCB had held a video conference with the ICC on Tuesday to discuss Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. During the meeting, the BCB reportedly requested that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted out of India following recent developments involving the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad.
The ICC reportedly informed the BCB that the tournament schedule has already been finalised and published, and asked the board to reconsider its stance. However, the BCB maintained its position, citing concerns over the safety and well-being of its players and officials. Both sides agreed to continue discussions to explore possible solutions.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul had claimed there was “no atmosphere to play” the T20 World Cup in India, referring to a letter from the ICC’s security team, as reported by state news agency BSS. However, ICC sources clarified that independent security risk assessments do not support that claim.
According to ICC sources, internationally recognised security experts have assessed the overall risk for the tournament in India as low to moderate, in line with other major global sporting events. The assessments did not identify any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team, its officials, or match venues in India. The risk associated with Bangladesh’s scheduled matches in Kolkata and Mumbai is considered manageable through standard security measures.
The ICC said its security plans for the T20 World Cup remain under continuous review and that all participating members, including the BCB, are being consulted. The governing body reiterated that it remains open to constructive dialogue while maintaining that the match schedule will remain unchanged.
“The ICC’s independent risk assessments do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India,” an ICC source told ANI, adding that the council has full confidence in the security arrangements being developed in coordination with the BCCI and local authorities.
The ICC expects all participating teams to meet their obligations under the tournament’s Terms of Participation and said it will continue to engage with stakeholders transparently to ensure the safety and integrity of the event.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 begins on February 7. Bangladesh are scheduled to open their campaign against West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on the opening day, followed by matches against Italy and England at the same venue, before concluding their group-stage fixtures against Nepal on February 17.
