T20 World Cup 2026: BCB decide not to travel to India for T20 World Cup

In a dramatic escalation of sporting and diplomatic tensions, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially decided that the national team will not travel to India for the upcoming 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The announcement, made Sunday afternoon following an emergency meeting of the Board of Directors, marks one of the most significant crises in international cricket in recent years.

The decision comes as a direct response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL contract.

Citing "security concerns" and the "dignity of the nation," the BCB has also revoked Mustafizur’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) with immediate effect, ensuring he will not participate in the IPL even if a compromise is reached.

Read also: Analysis | IPL 2026: Who are Kolkata Knight Riders’ options to replace Mustafizur Rahman?

The catalyst: The "Fizz" fallout

The flashpoint for this standoff was the sudden termination of Mustafizur Rahman’s ₹9.20 crore contract with KKR. The BCCI reportedly "advised" the franchise to release the left-armer amid rising cross-border tensions.

The move sparked immediate outrage in Dhaka, with the Bangladesh government’s Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Nazrul, taking a firm stance.

"If a contracted Bangladeshi player cannot be guaranteed safety to play in a domestic league like the IPL, we cannot be assured of the national team's safety during a global tournament," Nazrul stated in a social media address.

He further characterized the BCCI’s move as part of "aggressive communal policies" and declared that "the days of slavery are over."

Read also: 5 players to watch out for in WPL 2026 season.

Formal request to ICC

The BCB has formally written to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting that Bangladesh’s group-stage matches, originally scheduled to be held in Kolkata and Mumbai, be relocated to Sri Lanka, the tournament's co-host.

Bangladesh was slated to open their campaign against the West Indies at Eden Gardens on February 7, followed by fixtures against Italy, England, and Nepal.

While the BCB is not pulling out of the World Cup entirely, they have made it clear that crossing the border into India is currently a "non-negotiable" safety risk.

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BCCI and ICC in a Tight Spot

The BCCI has yet to issue a formal rebuttal to the BCB's relocation request, though internal sources suggest the Indian board views a venue shift as "logistically impossible" with only a month remaining before the opening ceremony.

The ICC now faces a diplomatic nightmare: balancing the security demands of a member nation against the logistical and commercial interests of the tournament’s primary host.

A squad in limbo

Ironically, the news broke just hours after the BCB announced a formidable 15-member squad for the tournament. Led by Litton Das, the squad includes Mustafizur Rahman and the returning Taskin Ahmed. For now, the players remain in Dhaka, waiting to see if their World Cup dream will take place in the heat of Kolkata or the coastal winds of Sri Lanka.