Dhaka: Bangladesh is set to formally request that the International Cricket Council (ICC) relocate its T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing concerns over player safety amid escalating political tensions between the two countries.
The move follows the sudden removal of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL), a decision that has triggered backlash in Bangladesh and raised questions about the treatment of its cricketers in India. Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul said the government had instructed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write to the ICC seeking a change of venue and demanding an explanation for Mustafizur’s exclusion from the IPL despite having a valid contract.
Nazrul said that if a Bangladeshi player could be barred from playing in India under such circumstances, the national team could not feel assured about its safety during a major international tournament hosted there. He added that Bangladesh would not tolerate any humiliation of its cricketers or its sporting institutions.
BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board would hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday to discuss the issue. He said the dignity and security of Bangladeshi players would guide any decision taken by the board.
Defending champions India and former winners Sri Lanka are set to co-host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, 2026. Bangladesh is currently scheduled to play all four of their group-stage matches in India, including three games at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
If the ICC agrees to Bangladesh’s request, it would become the second team to have its matches shifted out of India. Under an earlier ICC-brokered arrangement, Pakistan will play all of its matches in Sri Lanka, avoiding travel to India due to long-standing political tensions.
Earlier on Saturday, IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman had been released from their squad for the 2026 season following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The decision was later confirmed by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who said franchises had been advised to release the Bangladeshi player and would be permitted to sign a replacement. The move has drawn sharp criticism in Bangladesh, where calls are growing for a blackout of IPL broadcasts. Nazrul said he had asked the national broadcaster to stop airing IPL matches in the country.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated in recent months following a series of political and communal flashpoints. Tensions intensified after a Hindu man was lynched in Bangladesh over allegations of blasphemy, prompting strong criticism from India’s foreign ministry.
The situation worsened after activists attempted to storm the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, while diplomatic ties have remained strained since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India last August after mass protests against her rule.
Sporting ties have also suffered. The Bangladeshi women’s team’s tour of India was postponed indefinitely, while India’s men’s tour of Bangladesh was also called off last year.
