T20 World Cup: Bangladesh Decide Not to Travel to India, Inform ICC

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has chosen not to send its side to India for the T20 World Cup, which is set to start on February 7. This announcement was made on Sunday by Bangladesh's youth and sports adviser. Bangladesh was scheduled to play four games, one in Mumbai and three in Kolkata. The BCCI ordered the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman prior to this decision.

When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered KKR to remove Rahman from their IPL team on Saturday, the situation worsened. The bowler was purchased by KKR for INR 9.20 crore during the IPL 2026 mini-auction, but it is said that pressure from Indian political and religious groups led to his sudden dismissal. Sports adviser Asif Nazrul urged the BCB to reevaluate sending the national squad to India for the international competition in response to the development, which sparked heated emotions in Bangladesh.

T20 World Cup Controversy:

Bangladesh Cricket Board seeks relocation of T20 World Cup matches which are scheduled to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh cricket team not to travel to India under current circumstances says BCB statement. pic.twitter.com/aQXpdlX6Ka

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 4, 2026

Citing security concerns, the Bangladesh sports ministry encouraged the BCB to formally seek the ICC to shift Bangladesh's World Cup matches away from Indian land in response to mounting political and public pressure. The board unanimously decided that Bangladesh will not play any of its T20 World Cup matches in India during a meeting on Sunday that was attended by 17 BCB directors. The board has already written to the ICC, according to a senior BCB official.

Making a statement, they shared, "Bangladesh will not go to India to play in the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board made this decision today. I welcome this decision, taken in response to the Indian cricket board's extreme communal policies."

Bangladesh's cultural affairs adviser, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, posted on Facebook on Saturday night, saying, “What happened with Mustafizur in the IPL is despicable. Bangladeshi citizens have witnessed the politics of hatred in this incident and are deeply saddened. As you know, the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already expressed concern about the persecution of minority communities in India over the past few days. The relevant authorities will surely investigate whether this incident is also driven by the same motive. The safety of our cricket or football teams there in the future will also surely be considered.”

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