![Bangladesh government has decided to retain its stance [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1769080238153_bangladeshoutofT20WorldCup2026.jpg?type=hq)
Bangladesh government has decided to retain its stance [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]
In a significant development, the Bangladesh government has decided to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 after the ICC refused to relocate Bangladesh's group-stage matches from India to Sri Lanka.
Amid the country's strained geopolitical relations with India, the BCB, backed by the government, wanted the ICC to shift Bangladesh's matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. However, the ICC, on Wednesday, maintained its stance on the matter, stating it's impossible to tweak the original schedule days before the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh won't travel to India for T20 World Cup, government official confirms
As a result, the Bangladesh government's sports adviser met the national team players and engaged in a long discussion before taking a final call on the matter.
As confirmed by several media outlets, the Bangladesh government has refused to bow to the ICC, opting not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. In fact, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has stated that the Bangladesh players might feel threatened in India, arguing that the BCCI terminated Mustafizur Rahman's IPL 2026 contract over security reasons.
However, Bangladesh has once again requested the ICC to reconsider the its demand to relocate the matches from India.
“There is no scope to change our decision. We believe we did not get justice from the ICC. We still hope that ICC will justice with us. The security situation in India remains unchanged. Our security concerns did not materialise out of thin air. It stemmed from a real incident," Nazrul was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
“The country [India] could not provide security for one of our cricketers. In that country, the cricket board is an extended part of the government, which either failed or was reluctant to give one of my cricketers protection when put under pressure by extremists groups," he added.
It's worth mentioning that the ICC conducted a meeting of its board of directors, seeking their valuable opinion to resolve the matter. The meeting, conducted on Wednesday, had only two members voting in Bangladesh's favour, while the other decision-makers agreed to the fact that the Tigers should be shown the exit door if they don't travel to India for the showpiece event.
The Bangladesh government had raised questions over security measures in India; however, the ICC delegation committee found the arrangements satisfactory, eventually dismissing its baseless speculations.
Scotland to replace Bangladesh if ICC doesn't change its decision
On Wednesday, the ICC confirmed that it wouldn't modify the T20 World Cup 2026 schedule, which proposes that Bangladesh play its matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. If the apex cricketing body dismisses the BCB's demands once again, Bangladesh will be officially out of the tournament.
If Bangladesh is expelled from the T20 World Cup, Scotland will get a wildcard entry into the mega event. Group C comprises Italy, England, Nepal, and the West Indies, and Scotland will be the fifth team in that group upon the Tigers' departure.
