Bangladesh’s desperate attempt to salvage their place in the T20 World Cup 2026 appears to have hit a dead end. After weeks of back-and-forth with the ICC over security concerns in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision to approach the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) is set to fall flat. With Scotland already kept on standby, ICC chairman Jay Shah is expected to make the formal announcement on Bangladesh’s fate on January 24 (Saturday). With the event less than 15 days away, a formal announcement is of the utmost necessity right now.
The ICC Board has made its stance clear. By a 14-2 vote from all eligible boards, it approved Bangladesh’s fixtures in India after an independent security assessment rated the threat level as “low to moderate”. Despite repeated assurances and host guarantees, Bangladesh have remained adamant about not travelling, even at the risk of forfeiting close to INR 240 crore in broadcast revenue, sponsorships and tournament-linked income.
Bangladesh’s move fall flat before T20 World Cup
The BCB’s decision to write to the DRC was framed as a final attempt to “exhaust all options”, but legally, it was always on shaky ground. As per the ICC Constitution and the DRC’s own Terms of Reference, the committee does not have the authority to hear appeals against decisions taken by the ICC Board of Directors. Clause 1.3 explicitly bars it from operating as an appellate body. Bangladeshi fans also filed a petition against ICC over the issue but everything looks of no use currently.
As per PTI, sources within the ICC have indicated that while the BCB was free to approach the DRC, the committee does not even have the remit to entertain the case. The roots of the standoff lie beyond cricket. Bangladesh’s interim government, led on this issue by sports ministry adviser Asif Nazrul, has taken a hard anti-India line, insisting that the final call rests with the government and not the BCB. Tensions escalated after Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad due to security-related directives, an issue which has snowballed into this mega drama.
The ICC Board members were reportedly angered by BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul holding a press conference before formally informing the ICC of Bangladesh’s position. With Jay Shah now in Dubai and Scotland waiting in the wings, Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup dream may be over officially soon.
