Bangladesh has officially requested the International Cricket Council to shift its 2026 T20 World Cup matches from India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board wrote to the ICC on Sunday, January 4, citing security concerns. Speaking to India Today in an exclusive interview, BCB director Faruque Ahmed explained the circumstances that led to the decision, just a month before the start of the tournament.
Speaking to India, Faruque Ahmed said over the phone today that the Bangladesh government no longer feels it is safe for the team to travel to India after the Board of Control for Cricket in India was unable to guarantee the safety of Mustafizur Rahman during the Indian Premier League.
On Saturday, the BCCI asked the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman after a massive backlash from right-wing groups in India. Social media has been flooded with criticism of the board for allowing a Bangladeshi cricketer to play in the IPL amid reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
However, the BCB director said BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had indicated that the board could not guarantee Mustafizur’s safety, leading to the decision to release the player.
“BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has issued a statement and asked Mustafizur to be released from the KKR squad, probably for security reasons due to the tension between the two nations. Regarding this issue, the Bangladesh team will have to travel to Kolkata. The board works under the government and government decisions are very important. We cannot take decisions alone,” the government said to the cricket board, and they accordingly asked the cricket board, the Indian team. today.
“If there is a security issue for Mustafizur, then the team will also travel to Kolkata and Mumbai. So it is worrying the government,” he added.
Acknowledging that politics played a role in the situation, the BCB director said the Bangladesh government intervened only after it became clear that security could not be provided for one player.
“When you see that one player cannot be given protection, then it becomes a concern for the whole Bangladesh team and the support staff,” he said.
Faruque Ahmed also cited Pakistan’s case to justify Bangladesh’s stance and pointed out that India and Pakistan are already following a hybrid model in international tournaments.
“They all play in a hybrid model. India plays in Dubai, Pakistan doesn’t come to India and play in Dubai. There is a model called the hybrid model,” he concluded.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
January 4, 2026
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