The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has distanced itself from the controversial remarks made by the national government’s sports advisor, Azif Nazrul. In a short statement, the BCB said that Nazrul’s views that ‘there is no situation whatsoever’ for Bangladesh going ahead with its 2026 T20 World Cup matches in India wasn’t the BCB’s official stance towards the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Among other things, Nazrul had claimed receiving a written communication from the ICC, which allegedly flagged security concerns for the Bangladesh team in India. He said the ICC had written that the risks will ‘increase’ if Bangladesh includes arguably their best fast-bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, in the squad, and if Bangladeshi fans go out in India publicly
wearing their national jersey.
“The correspondence cited today by the Adviser for the Ministry of Youth & Sports was in reference to an internal communication between the BCB and the ICC’s Security Department related to threat assessments for the Bangladesh team ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This does not constitute a formal response from the ICC to the BCB’s request for the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches outside India,” the BCB statement said.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play three group-stage matches in Kolkata and a fourth in Mumbai. The BCB wrote to the ICC requesting a change in light of Rahman’s unprecedented ouster from the IPL, engineered by the BCCI’s directive to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Nazrul had said that he’d be open to their matches shifting to co-hosts Sri Lanka or even Pakistan and the UAE. Although avoiding a direct comment, BCB maintained its stance of wanting the venue shifted.
“The BCB reiterates that it has formally raised concerns regarding venue arrangements and has requested relocation of Bangladesh’s matches outside India in the interest of the team’s security. The Board confirms that it is still awaiting an official response from the ICC on this matter,” it added.
Meanwhile, an ICC source told News18 its independent security assessments have found no specific or unmanageable threat to Bangladesh playing the T20 World Cup in India, with overall risk rated low to moderate. It dismissed misread media reports, expressed confidence in local security plans, and reaffirmed the published schedule.
