The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly found no merit in the request it has received from Bangladesh to shift its upcoming T20 World Cup matches out of India, effectively rejecting their appeal. Bangladesh cited player safety and security amid escalating tensions between the neighbours.
The request came soon after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its Indian Premier League (IPL) squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The Indian cricket board made the call after Rahman’s participation in the cash-rich event created controversy, a decision that followed reports of violence against members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh in December. Critics had voiced their disapproval of Rahman’s involvement in the IPL.
Rahman drew significant attention after KKR acquired him for a record Rs 9.20 crore at the December 2025 mini-auction, making him the highest-paid Bangladeshi cricketer in IPL history. He was purchased from a starting bid of Rs 2 crore with a bidding war ensuing between the Chennai Super Kings and the Delhi Capitals.
Following his exit, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) then decided to seek a change of venue for the T20 World Cup dates.
About a handful of incidents pertaining to violence against Hindu minorities have been reported from the country, a concern the Indian government has also flagged. However, it may be noted that Bangladesh has mostly restrained itself from commenting on incidents of lynchings and other violence against Muslim minorities in India over the last decade especially.
The BCB reportedly wrote to the ICC, headed by Jay Shah, son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a shift of venue out of India flagging security concerns. However, according to media reports, a meeting held by the ICC saw no merit in the request, and hence a decision was taken to stick to the decided venues.
An India Today report said that the decision was conveyed during a virtual meeting, wherein the ICC made it clear that Bangladesh has to travel to India for the tournament or risk forfeiting points.
If Bangladesh pulls out of the World Cup matches in India, the host is likely to lose a substantial amount of revenue. As of yet no definite figure has been arrived at, but estimates range from as little as 12 crore to as much as 30 crore.
The T20 World Cup is exactly a month away and is slated to begin from February 7. Bangladesh’s four league games are against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9), England (February 14) in Kolkata, followed by their last match against Nepal (February 17) in Mumbai.
A BCCI source, however, insisted that shifting the matches was “next to impossible” with just a month left for the tournament. The T20 showpiece is to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
(With PTI inputs)
