Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup fate to be decided by January 21

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) must make a final decision on the country’s participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup, including whether to play matches in India, by January 21, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The deadline was communicated during a meeting between ICC and BCB officials in Dhaka on Saturday, ESPNcricinfo reported. This was the second meeting in a week between the two bodies.

BCB reiterated its willingness to participate in the tournament but expressed reluctance to play in India, preferring Sri Lanka as a co-host venue. While the board highlighted potential security risks for players in India, ICC maintained that the tournament schedule will not be altered.

Under the current fixtures, Bangladesh is placed in Group C, with all group matches scheduled in India. The team is set to face West Indies in the opening match at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on February 7, followed by two more Kolkata matches and a final group match in Mumbai.

BCB also proposed a group swap with Ireland to move to Group B and play in Sri Lanka, but ICC rejected the request. ICC has assured BCB that there is no direct security threat to the Bangladesh team despite an overall “moderate to high” security risk assessment for the host country.

Sources close to the discussions said ICC will await BCB’s final decision. If Bangladesh refuses to send a team by the deadline, ICC may consider inviting an alternate team, with Scotland likely next in line based on current rankings.

The dispute arose after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) excluded Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL 2026 squad, prompting the Bangladesh government to ban IPL broadcasts domestically and BCB to formally inform ICC of its reluctance to play in India.