ICC stands firm on Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches in India

Independent security assessments have found no reason to prevent Bangladesh from playing its scheduled matches in India during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, ICC sources said on Monday. The reviews, carried out by internationally recognised security experts, assessed the overall risk for the tournament in India as low to moderate — a level considered normal for major global sporting events.

According to media reports, the sources said that the assessments did not identify any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team, team officials or match venues. Matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai were also rated low to moderate risk, with no concerns that could not be handled through standard security planning and mitigation measures.

“It is important to clarify that the ICC’s independent risk assessments do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India,” an ICC source said.

The ICC said it is aware of recent public comments questioning Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament, including selective references to the security assessment. These comments followed a report in Bangladesh’s The Daily Star, which quoted Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul as saying it would be impossible for the Bangladesh team to visit India after receiving a letter from the ICC’s security team.

ICC sources said such interpretations do not reflect the conclusions of the independent assessments. They stressed that the governing body’s position remains unchanged and that the match schedule has already been finalised and published.

As with all ICC events, security arrangements for the 2026 T20 World Cup remain under continuous review. The ICC said it is consulting all participating members, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), as part of this process.

The organisation added that it remains open to constructive dialogue and feedback to further strengthen security plans if needed. ICC sources said there is full confidence in the arrangements being developed with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and local authorities, citing India’s strong record of hosting major international sporting events safely.

While expecting teams to meet their obligations under the tournament’s participation terms, the ICC said it will continue to engage with stakeholders in a transparent and professional manner to ensure the safety and integrity of the event.

Despite the ICC’s stance, concerns persist in Bangladesh. The Daily Star reported that Asif Nazrul said the ICC security team’s statement proved there was “no situation” for Bangladesh to play the World Cup in India.

He was quoted as criticising what he described as unrealistic expectations, including issues related to team selection, fan participation and domestic political considerations.

The report also said the BCB is awaiting a response from the ICC after requesting that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.

The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7. Bangladesh are scheduled to open their campaign the same day against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

They will then face Italy on February 9 at the same venue, followed by a match against 2022 champions England in Kolkata. Bangladesh are set to conclude their group-stage fixtures against Nepal on February 17.

For now, the ICC has made it clear that the schedule stands, while discussions with stakeholders continue.