Bangladesh has doubled down on its refusal to play its T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage matches in India, even after receiving a formal communication from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the venue row. The Bangladesh Cricket Board held a high-level meeting on Wednesday attended by president Aminul Islam Bulbul and government adviser Asif Nazrul, and resolved to keep pressing for a shift of its matches to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are scheduled to play four group games in India, three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, as a part of the India-Sri Lanka hybrid hosting arrangement. After the ICC’s letter on Tuesday, the BCB said the governing body had “reiterated its commitment” to Bangladesh’s “full and uninterrupted participation” and expressed willingness to work with the board, with Bangladesh’s inputs to be welcomed during “detailed security planning.” Nazrul, however, insisted Bangladesh would not trade perceived safety for participation. “We don’t want to play the T20 World Cup…in exchange for the honour of our country,” he said as quoted by NDTV, also citing “the security of players and journalists.” He added that after reading the ICC communication, “we feel there is a major security concern in India regarding Bangladesh cricketers.”
Published: January 7, 2026 2:55 pm
Source: Hindustan Times — Read original