In the latest development, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is planning to approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) seeking change of venues for their matches in the T20 World Cup 2026. This comes amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, and the BCCI asking IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman after widespread outrage. Contrary to a report that earlier stated that Bangladesh will continue to play their T20 WC games in India, another report has shed light on Bangladesh’s future course of action.
Bangladesh to follow Pakistan route for T20 World Cup 2026?
As per Telecom Asia Sport, a BCB official claimed that Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 in India would be decided by the ICC. Should the global body grant an exemption, then Bangladesh could follow Pakistan’s footsteps in playing all their WC matches at a neutral venue – Sri Lanka. For the record, India is set to co-host the marquee tournament with Sri Lanka, with Pakistan scheduled to play all their games in the island nation. This development also comes days after the BCCI assured visas for Bangladesh players.
“I cannot make any comment regarding the release of Mustafizur as this is their internal matter, but as far as taking part in the World Cup is concerned, it is an ICC event, and they will make the final call after taking everything into consideration,” the BCB official said.
The official added that the matter will be taken up with the ICC at the earliest, given that the tournament is scheduled to begin from February 7. The issue began with the release of Mustafizur, with the BCCI secretary citing ‘the unrest that had developed across the country’ over allowing a Bangladesh player to take part in IPL 2026 amid the soaring tensions between the two countries. What followed was the BCCI also taking a U-turn on the postponed tour to Bangladesh, stating that it was put on hold until the Indian government gave its approval.
Bangladesh’s T20 WC 2026 schedule
| Date | Match No. | Group | Teams | Venue | Local Time | GMT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb 7, 2026 | 2nd Match | Group C | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 9:30 AM |
| Mon, Feb 9, 2026 | 7th Match | Group C | Bangladesh vs Italy | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 11:00 AM | 5:30 AM |
| Sat, Feb 14, 2026 | 23rd Match | Group C | England vs Bangladesh | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 3:00 PM | 9:30 AM |
| Tue, Feb 17, 2026 | 33rd Match | Group C | Bangladesh vs Nepal | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 7:00 PM | 1:30 PM |
