The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that the national team will not travel to India to play its scheduled matches in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, citing safety and security concerns amid rising political tensions between the two countries.
Bangladesh was set to feature in group-stage games in Kolkata and Mumbai in February as part of the India-Sri Lanka co-hosted tournament. However, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate all of its fixtures to a neutral venue with Sri Lanka suggested as a preferred alternative.
The move follows controversy surrounding the release of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) Kolkata Knight Riders squad on the instruction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), an action that sparked diplomatic and public backlash in Bangladesh.
BCB officials and government advisers have stressed that the security and well-being of players and staff is paramount, making participation on Indian soil under current conditions untenable. The ICC has yet to respond to the request, and organisers are expected to assess the implications for the tournament schedule.
