Bangladesh’s matches of T20 WC to proceed as scheduled, says ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will proceed as scheduled, with Bangladesh’s matches to be played in India, rejecting a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to relocate its fixtures to Sri Lanka. The decision was taken at an ICC Board meeting held via video conference on Wednesday, after the BCB raised concerns and sought a venue change. In a press release, the ICC said all security assessments, including independent reviews, had found no credible threat to the safety of Bangladesh players, officials, media or fans at any of the Indian venues.
The ICC noted that altering the schedule so close to the tournament, which begins on February 7 and is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, was not feasible and could set a damaging precedent for future ICC events. It said such a move, in the absence of verified security risks, would undermine the neutrality and integrity of the global governing body. According to the ICC, extensive engagement took place with the BCB, including the sharing of detailed venue-level security plans and assurances from Indian authorities, backed by federal and state law-enforcement agencies. However, the board said the BCB continued to link its participation to an unrelated domestic league issue involving one of its players, which the ICC said had no bearing on tournament security. 
An ICC spokesperson said the governing body was guided by objective threat assessments, host guarantees and uniform terms of participation applicable to all 20 teams. Relocating Bangladesh’s matches, the ICC warned, would have significant logistical consequences for other teams and fans worldwide. Reaffirming its position, the ICC said it remains committed to consistent standards, fair governance and safeguarding the collective interests of international cricket as the tournament approaches.