January 2026, Dhaka The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has made the shocking announcement that the national team will not be visiting India for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The board’s directors reviewed the situation over the previous 24 hours at an emergency meeting before making the decision.
According to the BCB, growing political tensions between Bangladesh and India and security concerns made the action necessary. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been officially notified by the board, which has also asked that Bangladesh’s matches be moved to Sri Lanka.
Asif Nazrul Islam, Bangladesh’s sports adviser, applauded the ruling, claiming it was a reaction to what he called the Indian cricket authorities’ aggressive and discriminatory practices. After fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was forced out of the IPL, tensions between the two boards increased.
Bangladesh was originally slated to play three games in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, including their first match at Eden Gardens on February 7 against the West Indies. The team will now advocate for Sri Lanka to host these games, though.
In the meantime, the BCB has revealed its tournament team. Saif Hassan will serve as vice-captain, while Litton Kumar Das will lead the team. Bangladesh is in a competitive pool with England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies.
Former cricket players like Shahid Afridi have expressed support for Bangladesh’s position and called on the ICC to act justly in response to this decision, which has garnered international attention. The ICC’s decision to change the schedule will be decided in the upcoming weeks, but for the time being, Bangladesh has made it clear that they will not play in India given the current situation.
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