T20 World Cup: Bangladesh not to accept ICC ‘unreasonable conditions’

Dubai: Bangladesh on Tuesday made it clear that it will not accept what it described as “unreasonable conditions” imposed by the ICC regarding its participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India.

Speaking at the Secretariat, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul said Bangladesh would refuse to comply if the ICC acted under pressure from the Indian cricket board. “If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian cricket board and imposes unreasonable conditions on us, we will not accept them,” he said.

Nazrul pointed to past precedents in international cricket, noting that when India declined to tour Pakistan, the ICC shifted the venue. “We have reasonably asked for a venue change,” he added.

Tensions escalated following the exclusion of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL 2026, after which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reiterated that the national team would not tour India under the current circumstances. Despite several rounds of discussions between ICC and BCB officials, the issue remains unresolved, casting uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play four matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup — three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. Their group fixtures include matches against West Indies, Italy and England at Eden Gardens on February 7, 9 and 14, respectively, followed by a final group game against Nepal at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on February 17.

Earlier, the BCB rejected reports claiming the ICC had set a January 21 deadline for Bangladesh to confirm participation. Media committee chairman Amjad Hossain said no specific date had been communicated by the ICC.

However, ICC sources indicated that the governing body had issued an ultimatum, asking the BCB to convey a final decision by January 21. If Bangladesh withdraws, the ICC could name a replacement team, with Scotland next in line based on current rankings.

Clarifying the situation, Amjad told The Daily Star that an ICC representative met BCB officials on January 17 to discuss concerns over the venue. “We informed them of our reluctance to play there and requested an alternative venue. They said they would convey our concerns to the ICC and inform us of the next steps later,” he said, adding that no timeline for further discussions had been specified.

The ICC, meanwhile, remains firm on adhering to the original schedule, which places Bangladesh in Group C alongside Italy, New Zealand, West Indies and Nepal, with matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai as planned.