The Bangladesh Cricket Board has made it clear that no matter any assurances from the Indian board or the ICC about top-level safety, the workforce is not going to journey to India. Photograph: AFP
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reaffirmed its determination to not tour India for subsequent month’s Twenty20 World Cup, with its chief Aminul Islam saying on Thursday that it will once more request the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC) permit the workforce to play in Sri Lanka as an alternative.
The ICC board has dismissed Bangladesh’s issues relating to the security of its gamers and followers in India, regardless of persistent political tensions between the 2 South Asian neighbours.
Following a gathering on Thursday between the BCB’s high officers, gamers and the sports activities adviser of Bangladesh’s interim authorities, the board maintained its stance regardless of the chance of being changed by one other workforce within the event set to start on February 7.
Learn: Bangladesh faces World Cup dilemma: Play in India or pull out
“We are going to return to the ICC with our plan to play in Sri Lanka,” Islam mentioned at a press convention.
“They did give us a 24-hour ultimatum however a worldwide physique cannot actually try this. ICC will miss out on 200 million individuals watching the World Cup (if Bangladesh is axed). It will likely be their loss.”
Bangladesh Govt has introduced their workforce is boycotting the World Cup.
Sports activities Adviser says Bangladesh desires to play however solely and solely in Sri Lanka
Large breaking
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 22, 2026
Youth and Sports activities Adviser Asif Nazrul mentioned Bangladesh “can’t be compelled to play in India”, underlining the federal government’s refusal to bow to what it described as “unreasonable coercion”.
He mentioned the choice to not tour India was taken by the interim authorities. “We’re hopeful that ICC will give us the chance to play in Sri Lanka,” Nazrul added.
Political relations between India and Bangladesh have lately deteriorated, impacting cricket too.
Bangladesh participant Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this yr’s Indian Premier League (IPL) regardless of signing with its Kolkata franchise.
Additionally Learn: ICC rejects Bangladesh’s plea to play T20 WC matches exterior India
Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts within the nation and demanding to play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
After an emergency ICC board assembly on Wednesday, cricket’s international governing physique dominated out any safety challenge in India for gamers and followers from Bangladesh. It additionally dominated out altering the schedule so near the event, saying it will set a foul precedent.
Political tensions have added gas to the disaster. India-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated because the 2024 mass rebellion that toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a detailed ally of New Delhi. Bangladesh can be as a consequence of maintain its first elections since that upheaval through the World Cup interval, additional complicating issues.
Bangladesh captain Litton Das admitted uncertainty over participation. “Everyone seems to be unsure,” he mentioned, reflecting widespread confusion inside the workforce and the nation.
With Sri Lanka not formally contacted about internet hosting Bangladesh’s matches, the ICC has indicated that Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualified workforce, may exchange Bangladesh in the event that they withdraw.
For now, the Bangladesh T20 World Cup boycott stays one of the crucial severe crises the event has confronted, mixing sport, politics and diplomacy right into a unstable combine.
Pakistan will play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka in line with their coverage of not touring India over fraught political tensions.
