The standoff between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has finally reached a point of no return. After nearly three weeks of back-and-forth, the global body has given the BCB a hard deadline of January 21 to confirm whether Bangladesh will travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. If Dhaka sticks to its refusal, the ICC is ready to replace them with Scotland, the next highest-ranked team.
Saturday’s meeting in Dhaka, the second in a week, produced no softening of positions. The BCB once again told ICC officials that Bangladesh want to play the tournament but only in Sri Lanka, citing security concerns and political sensitivities at home. The ICC, however, reiterated that the schedule announced months ago will not be altered and that there is no specific threat to any visiting team in India.
With the tournament opener just three weeks away, patience inside the ICC corridors has clearly run out, as per ESPNcricinfo. Bangladesh are scheduled to play the West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, followed by two more games at Eden Gardens and a final group fixture in Mumbai. Logistically and commercially, the ICC sees no room for a late reshuffle, especially when there’s no security threat issue in India.
ICC rejects all proposals by Bangladesh
One of the BCB’s last proposals, swapping groups with Ireland so Bangladesh could play all matches in Sri Lanka, has also been dismissed. Cricket Ireland confirmed it had received “definitive assurances” that its fixtures will remain unchanged. The ICC views any group reshuffle as a major headache with broadcasters, ticketing partners and other participating nations.
An independent security assessment shared with all 20 teams has classified India’s overall threat level as medium to high, similar to previous global events, but no direct risk to Bangladesh has been identified. The ICC has conveyed this repeatedly, yet the BCB has held its line, backed by the Bangladesh government. In all likelihood, unless Bangladesh reverses course in the next 72 hours, the tournament will move on without them.
Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule
| Date | Teams | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Feb 7, 2026 | West Indies vs Bangladesh | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 3:00 PM |
| Mon, Feb 9, 2026 | Bangladesh vs Italy | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 11:00 AM |
| Sat, Feb 14, 2026 | England vs Bangladesh | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 3:00 PM |
| Tue, Feb 17, 2026 | Bangladesh vs Nepal | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 7:00 PM |
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