The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Tuesday that it has received a formal response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding its concerns over the safety and security of the Bangladesh national team in India during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, stressing that no ultimatum has been issued by the world body.
In a detailed statement issued after its communication with the ICC, the BCB said the global governing body has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the “full and uninterrupted participation” of Bangladesh in the tournament. The ICC, the board added, has expressed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and assured that Bangladesh's inputs would be “welcomed and duly considered” as part of the security planning for the tournament.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board remains firmly committed to placing the highest priority on the safety, security and well-being of the Bangladesh national cricket team,” the statement said, underlining that reports suggesting that the BCB had been issued an ultimatum by the ICC were “completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received”.
The statement comes in the backdrop of an online meeting between ICC and BCB officials on Tuesday, during which the ICC is understood to have said it had received no actionable or credible security inputs warranting a relocation of Bangladesh's matches from India. According to reports, the ICC sees no basis, at present, to revise the tournament's venues.
The BCB had written to the ICC following an emergency meeting on January 4, seeking relocation of its matches to safeguard players and officials. Bangladesh are scheduled to play Group C matches against West Indies, Italy and England in Kolkata on February 7, 9 and 14, respectively, before facing Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
Conflicting media reports emerged after the ICC-BCB interaction with some claiming Bangladesh were told to travel to India or risk forfeiting points. The BCB has categorically denied this, and no official statement has been issued by either the ICC or the BCCI on the meeting's outcome.
The issue was triggered by the BCCI's directive to Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, despite him being bought for Rs 9.2 crore at the auction. In response, the BCB banned IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh, while Mustafizur has since signed up for the Pakistan Super League.
Also read: Bangladesh not to send team to India for T20 WC
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