The International Cricket Council (ICC) has delivered a firm ultimatum to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) regarding the country’s participation in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026. After weeks of negotiation over Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India for scheduled matches, the ICC rejected the BCB’s request to relocate those fixtures to Sri Lanka and insisted the tournament will proceed per the original schedule.
Bangladesh had cited security concerns following political and sporting tensions including the exclusion of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from an Indian Premier League (IPL) side as the basis for their reluctance to play in host Indian cities. However, independent assessments reviewed by the ICC indicated no credible threat to the visiting team, officials, media or fans at venues in India.
Facing an impasse, the ICC gave the BCB a short deadline to confirm whether the team will travel to India. Should Bangladesh refuse or fail to provide assurances within that period, the ICC has made clear it will replace Bangladesh in the tournament, with Scotland emerging as the likely replacement team based on rankings and qualification status.
The situation has drawn attention across the cricketing world, with ongoing debate about security, diplomacy and governance in international sport. Discussions continue as the deadline approaches and stakeholders assess next steps.