Why banagladesh declines india tour for T20 World Cup

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken a major and unexpected decision ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, announcing that the national team will not travel to India for its scheduled group-stage matches. This decision puts pressure on the International Cricket Council (ICC), as it is responsible for the tournament's schedule and venue arrangements.

Bangladesh's sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, confirmed the development through a social media post on Sunday. He stated that the decision was made after a BCB meeting.

"Bangladesh will not go to India to play the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board took this decision today (January 4). We welcome this decision, which has been taken in response to the aggressive communal policies of the Indian cricket board," Nazrul wrote on Facebook.

Scheduled Matches in India

According to the original schedule for the 2026 T20 World Cup, all four of Bangladesh's group-stage matches were to be played in India. Three matches were scheduled at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, and one at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Bangladesh was scheduled to begin its campaign against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, followed by matches against Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) at the same venue. The final group match against Nepal was scheduled for February 17 in Mumbai.

Controversy involving Mustafizur Rahman

This decision comes after a controversy involving Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who was recently released by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

KKR had acquired Mustafizur for ₹9.20 crore in the IPL mini-auction held last month. However, after objections were raised by some religious and political groups in India regarding the participation of a Bangladeshi player, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed KKR to release him. The franchise complied with the directive.  According to reports, this incident has heightened concerns within the BCB regarding the treatment and security of Bangladeshi players in India.
Request to shift matches to Sri Lanka

In light of these circumstances, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided to formally request the ICC to shift its T20 World Cup league matches to Sri Lanka. The BCB has expressed serious concerns about the safety of its players in the current situation.

The ICC has not yet given an official response, but discussions are expected in the coming days as the global governing body considers its options.

Bangladesh's group matches:

February 7: vs West Indies – Kolkata
February 9: vs Italy – Kolkata
February 14: vs England – Kolkata
February 17: vs Nepal – Mumbai