Bangladesh will not travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has confirmed. The decision comes amid surrounding controversy Release of Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
The BCB cited security concerns as the reason behind the team’s decision not to travel to India for the international tournament. In an email sent to the ICC, the BCB said, “Due to security reasons, it is not possible to send a team to India for the T20 World Cup.”
Although there were initially plans to raise three issues with the ICC, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) ended up making only one formal request. On Sunday afternoon, the 17 directors of BCB met and came to a new decision regarding the T20 World Cup, which decided that Bangladesh will not play any of their World Cup matches on Indian soil.
On Saturday, KKR released Mustafizur after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the franchise to release the Bangladesh pacer. The speedster was signed by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction in December 2025, a move that initially attracted attention for its cricketing value but later became embroiled in off-field controversies.
The situation has escalated due to opposition from some political and religious groups, particularly as a result of violent incidents in Bangladesh and growing concerns of Indian authorities about the safety of minorities.
After Mustafizur was dropped from the KKR squad, the Bangladesh Sports Ministry directed the BCB to formally request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift the matches to Sri Lanka.
The BCB has expressed concerns about the safety of its players and government adviser Asif Nazrul said that if a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite having a contract, the entire team cannot feel safe traveling to India for the World Cup.
The ICC is yet to respond to the BCB’s request, while the BCCI dismissed the idea of shifting the matches as “logistically impossible”.
Asif Nazrul also confirmed the development in a statement shared on social media, reiterating the country’s reluctance to travel to India.
Nazrul wrote, “Bangladesh will not go to India to play in World Cup. Bangladesh Cricket Board today took this decision. We welcome this decision taken in the context of violent communal politics of Indian Cricket Board.”
Bangladesh named their T20 World Cup squad on Sundaywhich appointed Litton Das as captain and Saif Hassan as vice-captain. Mustafizur Rahman is one of the five pacers in the team, alongside Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam, Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Bangladesh are set to begin their campaign against the West Indies on February 7 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and have been placed in Group C alongside Italy, Nepal, England and the West Indies.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
January 4, 2026
