Dubai, January 24, 202 : The future of Bangladesh’s participation in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has come under scrutiny after the country declined to send its national team to India, prompting the International Cricket Council to weigh possible disciplinary action, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Jay Shah, who heads the International Cricket Council, is understood to be reviewing the situation and is expected to take a final call while in Dubai, where consultations with senior officials are ongoing. The tournament is scheduled to be hosted in India later this year.
Bangladesh’s decision has been conveyed to the ICC with the cricket board citing security concerns for its players and support staff. However, ICC sources said multiple independent risk assessments carried out by internationally recognised security experts have not identified any specific or heightened threat to the Bangladesh team, match venues, or tournament operations in India.
Officials indicated that the overall security risk for the event has been assessed as low to moderate, a level described as consistent with many major international sporting competitions. The assessments reportedly covered proposed match venues, travel logistics, and accommodation arrangements, including fixtures planned in cities such as Kolkata and Mumbai.
The ICC had earlier rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to relocate Bangladesh’s matches outside India, maintaining that existing security protocols and mitigation measures were adequate. According to sources, Bangladesh was subsequently informed that refusal to participate could invite consequences under ICC event regulations.
Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul has publicly stated that the ICC’s security evaluation was not acceptable to his government, reiterating concerns despite the assurances provided by the governing body and its advisers.
Cricket administrators noted that the ICC faces a delicate balance between upholding tournament integrity and addressing the concerns raised by a member nation. Options under discussion are said to range from formal warnings to potential replacement scenarios should Bangladesh ultimately pull out.
For now, the ICC continues to urge dialogue, while emphasising that participation obligations are a core part of hosting agreements for global events. A decision is expected in the coming days as the countdown to the T20 World Cup gathers pace.
