The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) succumbed to International Cricket Council's (ICC) strong stance and eventually announced that Bangladesh won't travel to India, and hence they have pulled out of T20 World Cup 2026. This final decision followed an internal board meeting and came just one day after the ICC issued a strict deadline to the BCB. Later, Bangladesh's interim government came up with their decision to withdraw from the marquee tournament, which is scheduled to get underway from February 7.
We will keep fighting: BCB president after Bangladesh's T20 World Cup boycott
Meanwhile, BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul explained that while the team still has every desire to compete in the marquee event, they remain firm in their refusal to play matches on Indian soil. He ended up criticising the ICC for failing to find a neutral solution, such as relocating Bangladesh's fixtures, and expressed disappointment that the governing body did not do more to bridge the gap between the two nations.
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We will continue to communicate with the ICC: Aminul Islam Bulbul
In his statement, Bulbul highlighted that the current tension is not an isolated incident, specifically pointing to the recent controversy surrounding pacer Mustafizur Rahman being dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the 2026 IPL. He countered the ICC's recent claims that the issue was a minor or singular event, suggesting instead that it reflects a deeper, systemic problem that made traveling to India untenable for the squad.
"We will continue to communicate with the ICC. We want to play the World Cup, but we won't play in India. We will keep fighting. There were some shocking calls in the ICC Board Meeting. The Mustafizur issue is not an isolated single issue. They (India) were the sole decision makers in that issue," Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam Bulbul said in a statement.
"ICC had denied us our request to shift our matches away from India. We are not sure about the status of world cricket. Its popularity is going down. They have locked away 200 million people. Cricket is going to the Olympics, but if a country like us is not going there, it is ICC's failure," he added.
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Scotland all set to replace Bangladesh in T20 World Cup
ICC remained firm in its stance. Following a board meeting conducted via video conference, the governing body confirmed that the 2026 T20 World Cup will proceed exactly as planned, with all of Bangladesh's scheduled matches remaining in India. The decision was reached after a 14-2 vote, with only Bangladesh and Pakistan supporting the relocation request.
ICC explained that multiple independent security assessments found no credible or verifiable threat to the safety of Bangladeshi players, officials, or fans. The Council emphasized that shifting matches this close to the February 7 start date was logistically impossible. Furthermore, they warned that altering the schedule without a proven security risk would set a dangerous precedent, potentially compromising the neutrality and integrity of all future global events.
Because the BCB has declined to honor the original fixtures, the ICC will end up moving forward with its contingency plan. Scotland is now set to replace Bangladesh in T20 World Cup based on their standing as the highest-ranked non-qualified team.