New Delhi

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul on Thursday said the board remains firm on its decision not to play its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India, despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejecting Bangladesh’s request to shift its fixtures outside the country.

The ICC rejected the BCB’s request during a video conference held on Wednesday to discuss the issue. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, with India and Sri Lanka as co-hosts.

“We will continue to communicate with the ICC. We want to play the World Cup, but we won’t play in India. We will keep fighting,” Bulbul told reporters.
“There were some shocking calls in the ICC board meeting. The Mustafizur issue is not an isolated one. India were the sole decision-makers in that matter,” he added.

Bulbul further criticised the ICC’s handling of the issue, saying, “ICC has denied our request to shift matches. We are not sure about the status of world cricket. Its popularity is going down. They have locked away 200 million people. Cricket is going to the Olympics, but if a country like us is not included, it is ICC’s failure.”

Relations between India and Bangladesh have witnessed strain amid rising incidents of crimes against minorities in Bangladesh. Last year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their 2026 squad following public demands linked to the issue.

Following Rahman’s removal, the BCB cited safety and security concerns for its players as the primary reason for refusing to travel to India for the tournament.

Bangladesh Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul also said the ICC had failed to address their concerns.
“ICC has failed to convince us on the security question. It has taken no stand on our grievances. Even the Indian government did not communicate with us or try to assuage our fears,” Nazrul said.

Bangladesh are scheduled to begin their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 against West Indies at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, followed by matches against Italy and England at the same venue, before travelling to Mumbai to face Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium.

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Nazrul said both the BCB and the Bangladesh government remain hopeful that the ICC will reconsider the request.
“We haven’t lost hope yet. We believe the ICC will understand our genuine security risk concerns and allow us to play in Sri Lanka,” he added.