The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.
This came after notable outrage in India over the recent murders and attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) then refused to travel to India for their upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches, and looked to shift them to Sri Lanka, the co-hosts. The Bangladeshi government also enforced a ban on IPL telecast shortly afterwards.
That said, a report by The Telegraph now claims that the BCB has asked for some time to have a second thought over refusing to play their T20 World Cup matches in India, and that they will revert to the International Cricket Council (ICC) following government consultation.
Potential Last Minute Headache For ICC
As per the official ICC T20 World Cup 2026 schedule, Bangladesh are poised to play some of their Group Stage matches in India.
The tournament is set to begin on February 7, which is just a month away from this writing, and with several tickets already sold, this last minute change, and as significant as a match venue shift at that, could potentially be a headache for the ICC due to logistical reasons.
The Telegraph also reported that the apex cricket board has held internal meetings between the BCCI and BCB to find a viable solution to this issue, and quoted an administrator stating this:
“ICC will try to coax and convince Bangladesh to play in India. It’s not just about the two teams, it also involves the spectators and fans, broadcasters, travelling media”
Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 Matches In India
Bangladesh have four ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Group Stage matches in India as per the current schedule.
- Bangladesh vs West Indies – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Bangladesh vs Italy – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Bangladesh vs England – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Bangladesh vs Nepal – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Also Check: Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL Exit Decided At BCCI’s Highest Level Without Discussions: Report
