Bangladesh Cricket Board Confirms Withdrawal from T20 World Cup 2026 Over Security Concerns in India
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially confirmed its withdrawal from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, citing the Bangladesh government's refusal to grant clearance for the national team's travel to India due to security concerns. The decision, announced on Sunday, follows weeks of discussions between the BCB, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and government officials.
Government Mandate Overrides Cricket Board's Willingness
BCB director Abdur Razzak emphasized that while the board was willing to participate in the tournament, government approval is mandatory for all overseas tours. "We have always said that we want to play, but this is the government's decision. So we have to follow whatever the government tells us," Razzak stated in an interview with RTV. He clarified that this requirement applies not just to the World Cup but to all international cricket tours involving the Bangladesh team.
BCB Media Committee chairman Amzad Hussain provided detailed insights into the sequence of events leading to the withdrawal. "We requested the ICC to relocate our matches to Sri Lanka. We had several meetings with them," Hussain explained. Despite these efforts, the ICC board informed Bangladesh that matches could not be relocated and must be played in India as per the existing fixtures.
Security Concerns Cited as Primary Reason
The Bangladesh government held a cabinet meeting immediately after the ICC board meeting and made a definitive decision. "A decision was made there, clearly stating that if there are no changes to the fixtures, our team cannot participate in the tournament in India," Hussain revealed. The government specifically cited security concerns for players, officials, media personnel, and the entire contingent as the reason for denying clearance.
Hussain elaborated further on the security aspect: "The government stated that playing the World Cup matches in India is not safe for us--for our players, journalists, or anyone accompanying our players, the entire contingent." This stance was reinforced by recent developments, including the BCCI reportedly asking IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman for the 2026 season, which the BCB interpreted as indicating potential safety assurance issues.
ICC's Response and Independent Security Assessments
The ICC conducted extensive discussions with the BCB for over three weeks, including both in-person and video conference meetings. The global cricket body reviewed the concerns raised by Bangladesh and commissioned independent security assessments while sharing comprehensive security and operational plans covering both central and state arrangements in India.
According to the ICC's findings, the assessments found no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh team, its officials, or supporters in India. The ICC maintained that changing the tournament schedule was not appropriate and could potentially affect the integrity of the event and future tournaments.
Final Decision and Replacement Team
Following its Wednesday meeting, the ICC Business Corporation Board gave the BCB a 24-hour ultimatum to confirm participation. When no confirmation was received, the ICC proceeded with its governance and qualification process to name a replacement team.
Scotland has officially replaced Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, with the ICC announcing the decision on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Scotland, currently ranked 14th in T20I rankings, is the highest-ranked team that had not originally qualified for the tournament, placing ahead of Namibia, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, the United States, Canada, Oman, and Italy.
Bangladesh Accepts ICC Decision Without Further Challenge
Amzad Hussain confirmed that Bangladesh has accepted the ICC's decision without pursuing further arbitration or other avenues. "Subsequently, we have accepted the ICC board's decision. Since the ICC has stated that we cannot play or that they cannot relocate our matches to Sri Lanka, we are not playing in India," he stated. "Our stance remains the same. We are not pursuing any further arbitration or other avenues in this matter."
The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on February 7, 2026, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The withdrawal marks a significant development in international cricket diplomacy and highlights the complex interplay between sports governance and national security considerations.
