The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup out of India, warning that the team could be replaced in the tournament if it continues to refuse to travel. The decision was taken at a crucial ICC Board meeting held on Wednesday, where the proposal was defeated by a decisive 14–2 vote, sources told India Today.

Following the vote, the ICC issued a strong message to the BCB, making it clear that Bangladesh would be removed from the tournament and replaced by Scotland if it maintained its refusal to play its scheduled fixtures in India. The global governing body has given the BCB one more day to communicate its final position after formally briefing the Bangladesh government on the outcome of the meeting.

Overwhelming ICC board vote

According to sources, out of the 15 directors present at the ICC Board meeting, only the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) supported Bangladesh’s request. The rest of the members voted in favour of sticking to the original schedule and enforcing tournament regulations, including replacing a participating team if it fails to honour its commitments.

The meeting was convened after the PCB wrote to the ICC and other member boards earlier this week, stating that it backed Bangladesh’s proposal to play its matches in Sri Lanka, which is a co-host of the 2026 T20 World Cup along with India.

However, the ICC Board took the view that accommodating such a request would set an undesirable precedent and disrupt the tournament structure, especially with the event less than three weeks away.

Bangladesh’s refusal and security concerns

The 2026 T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh currently slated to play three league matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. Backed by the Bangladesh government, the BCB has declined to send the national team to India, citing security concerns.

Instead, the BCB proposed either a change of venues or a reshuffle of groups so that all of Bangladesh’s league matches could be played in Sri Lanka. During a meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka last weekend, the BCB suggested swapping groups with Ireland.

Under this proposal, Bangladesh would move from Group C to Group B, replacing Ireland. Group B includes Sri Lanka, Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe, which would allow Bangladesh to remain in Sri Lanka for the entire league stage.

The ICC, however, has shown little willingness to entertain the idea, despite Sri Lanka being a co-host and already scheduled to host high-profile matches, including the India–Pakistan clash, under the ICC’s hosting agreement valid until 2027.

Group implications and Scotland on standby

At present, Bangladesh are placed in Group C alongside West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy. If Bangladesh withdraws or is removed, Scotland are expected to replace them in the group.

Scotland had failed to qualify directly for the 2026 T20 World Cup after finishing behind the Netherlands, Italy and Jersey in the European Qualifiers. However, the ICC has identified Scotland as the next eligible replacement team, should Bangladesh pull out at this late stage.

An ICC official said the board was keen to avoid uncertainty. “The tournament cannot be held hostage to one team’s refusal. All participating nations have obligations, and contingency plans are in place,” the official said.

Political backdrop to the standoff

The deadlock between the ICC and the BCB has dragged on for several weeks, with multiple meetings failing to produce a breakthrough. The dispute reportedly began after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for IPL 2026.

While no official reason was publicly cited, deteriorating political relations between India and Bangladesh are widely believed to have played a role. Soon after, the Bangladesh government formally stated that the national team would not play its World Cup matches in India.

The situation escalated further with unrest in Bangladesh cricket, including a player boycott that disrupted the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The boycott followed remarks by a senior BCB official regarding the potential financial losses the board would face if Bangladesh stayed away from the World Cup, comments that reportedly angered senior players.

Deadline looms for final decision

January 21 had been set by the ICC as the deadline for Bangladesh to take a final call, with the tournament set to begin in less than three weeks. With the ICC Board now having taken a firm stance, the onus is squarely on the BCB to decide whether it will comply with the original schedule.

Conclusion

The ICC’s rejection of Bangladesh’s request and its warning of replacement underline the governing body’s determination to proceed with the 2026 T20 World Cup as planned. As diplomatic and cricketing tensions intersect, Bangladesh now faces a stark choice: travel to India and compete, or risk being replaced by Scotland in one of the sport’s marquee global events.