Bangladesh have decided not to travel to India for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, citing concerns over the safety and well-being of their players amid strained political relations between the two countries. The decision, taken by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), comes just weeks before the start of the tournament and has created uncertainty around the event’s schedule.
Bangladesh cricket very rightly inspired by PCB (Refuse to go India ) decide not to send their team to Indian for T20 World Cup due to security concern
Very unfortunate but Modi Gov & BCCi policies left no choice for PCB and BCB
ICC & even IOC must take notice of this and… pic.twitter.com/qFt91oIJhv
— Abdul Ghaffar 🇵🇰 (@GhaffarDawnNews) January 4, 2026
In a statement on Sunday, the BCB said its board of directors had resolved not to send the national team to India after “a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation” and following advice from the Bangladesh government. Bangladesh’s matches were scheduled to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai, with their opening game against West Indies set for February 7 at Eden Gardens.
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“In light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India,” the statement added.
Bangladesh’s sports adviser, Asif Nazrul, publicly backed the move, saying the board’s decision was taken in the context of what he described as “radical communal policies” of the Indian cricket authorities.
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According to ESPNcricinfo, the BCB’s decision followed two rounds of video-conference meetings over the past 24 hours, with a final call taken during a meeting of 17 directors on Sunday afternoon. A BCB official said concerns extended beyond players and staff to include fans and journalists who would travel with the team. “If security cannot be assured for one player, how can it be guaranteed for the entire contingent?” the official said, adding that Bangladesh would be willing to play in Sri Lanka instead.
The issue was reportedly triggered by instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The BCCI has not officially stated that the decision was based on security concerns.
The 2026 T20 World Cup is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and unlike previous tournaments, does not follow a hybrid hosting model. It remains unclear whether the ICC will agree to relocate Bangladesh’s fixtures. The BCB has also sought an explanation from the BCCI regarding Mustafizur’s release, while formally raising its security concerns with the ICC.
