Bangladesh have decided to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India despite repeated assurances from the global governing body on security and logistics. The decision was confirmed on Thursday
following a high-level meeting in Dhaka involving the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), senior players and the government’s sports adviser, On Thursday, Bangladesh cricketers held a meeting in Dhaka with sports adviser Asif Nazrul and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam to discuss the team’s participation in the T20 World Cup, a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected BCB’s request to shift its matches out of India. Players present at the meeting included Nurul Hasan, Shamim Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Jaker Ali and Saif Hassan. BCB president Aminul Islam and chief executive Nizamuddin were also in attendance.
This meeting took place after ICC officially rejected the request of BCB to change the venue from India. ICC Board noted that it was not possible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events and undermine its neutrality as a global governing body.
Last night Espn cricinfo reported that ICC has asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to convey to the Bangladesh government that failure to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup will result in Bangladesh being replaced at the tournament. The position was formalised after a vote at the ICC Board meeting, where a majority backed the option of bringing in a replacement team. All the boards voted against Bangladesh and only PCB and BCB were the ones to vote for change in venue.
Bangladesh government has taken a stance that they will play only in Sri Lanka and since it is not possible they are boycotting the tournament. Bangladesh will be replaced by Scotland in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The main event is co hosted by India and Sri Lanka starting February 7.
