Bangladesh Refuses to Travel to India for T20 World Cup 2026 Full News Coverage

Bangladesh has taken the unprecedented step of refusing to send its national cricket team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, citing serious safety and security concerns amid escalating political tensions between the two neighboring countries. The decision was announced on January 4, 2026, following an emergency meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), with the board formally requesting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate all of Bangladesh’s scheduled matches to venues outside India. 


The 2026 T20 World Cup is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026, with Bangladesh originally slated to play four group stage matches — three in Kolkata (Eden Gardens) and one in Mumbai (Wankhede Stadium). However, the BCB concluded that “under the current conditions” it is not feasible to send their team to India, primarily over safety concerns for players, support staff, board members, and other stakeholders.

At the heart of this diplomatic and sporting fracas is the recent controversy involving Bangladesh pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman. Rahman was released from his Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly instructed KKR to remove him from their squad. This decision followed heightened tensions triggered by communal violence and protests, including the mob killing of a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh, which further strained political and social relations between India and Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul strongly backed the cricket board’s decision, arguing that if a Bangladeshi player could not be assured safety while playing in India — despite being under contract — then the entire national team could not feel secure participating in the World Cup there. Nazrul also accused the Indian cricket board of pursuing what he termed an “extreme communal policy” and publicly supported the BCB’s call for matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka.

The BCB’s letter to the ICC stresses that relocating their matches is essential “to safeguard the safety and well-being” of everyone involved, given the “prevailing situation and growing concerns” assessed by both the board and the Bangladesh government. 

The ICC has yet to issue an official response to the BCB’s request, and the BCCI has previously described a venue change as logistically extremely challenging. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Pakistan’s matches will also be hosted in Sri Lanka during this World Cup, as they too will not travel to India, creating a precedent for neutral venue hosting due to diplomatic disagreements. 

Cricket analysts believe this standoff could have far-reaching impacts on international cricket diplomacy, future bilateral tours, and the operational framework for ICC events, underscoring how political issues are increasingly influencing global sport.

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