'We have not received...' - BCCI breaks silence on ICC’s two-venue proposal amid Bangladesh's T20 World Cup row
The BCCI clarifies it has not received formal communication from the ICC regarding suggestions to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches to alternate venues.
Bangladesh Cricket Board wants their T20 World Cup 2026 matches to be shifted away from India after BCCI told KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026.
Last Updated: 06.09 PM, Jan 12, 2026
With the T20 World Cup 2026 just a month away, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) still wants to change their match venues from India to Sri Lanka. They wrote a letter to ICC requesting to change the venue but didn't get the kind of feedback they wanted. ICC, instead of shifting the matches to Sri Lanka, has offered two new venues, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram.
When BCCI was asked about the two new venues, Secretary Devajit Saikia revealed that they have not got any updates from ICC. The entire venues and locations are in control of ICC since they are the governing body. BCCI can only follow the guidelines presented to them.
“The BCCI has not received any communication regarding the matter of shifting Bangladesh matches to Chennai or anywhere else, and it is beyond our control. It is a matter of communication between the BCB and the ICC, as the ICC is the governing body. If the ICC conveys any decision to us regarding a change of venue, the BCCI, as the host, will take the necessary steps. At present, we are not privy to any such information,” said BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia as quoted by IANS.
What will happen if Bangladesh pull out of T20 World Cup 2026?
This time, the T20 World Cup 2026 will happen between 20 teams across the country. The selection was based on the rank and the qualifiers' rounds. If Bangladesh decide to opt out of the tournament, ICC will approach another team for the tournament. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will lose their revenue and face other challenges if they opt out of the tournament.
Hence, they will have to think extra before leaving the tournament. Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board PCB) have stepped in to create more confusion as they have suggested to host Bangladesh's matches in the upcoming tournament. ICC have not spoken anything about PCB's idea yet. However, it's very unlikely that in such a short span, the games will be shifted to any other location.
Where to watch IND vs NZ matches?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs New Zealand matches from January 11 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.