Bangladesh Will Not Participate in T20 World Cup; ICC Set to Select Replacement

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday firmly reiterated that it will not take part in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India, even if that decision results in Bangladesh being excluded from the tournament. The announcement followed a high-level meeting involving BCB officials, national team players, and Asif Nazrul, the interim government’s sports adviser.

The decision comes despite Bangladesh being fully aware of the potential consequences, including forfeiting its place in one of the sport’s biggest global events. According to officials, the stance reflects longstanding and unresolved concerns over the safety and security of Bangladeshi players while playing in India.

Bangladesh’s position was restated just a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the T20 World Cup would proceed as scheduled in India. On Wednesday, the ICC rejected the BCB’s formal request to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, stating that independent assessments had found no credible security threat to the team.

Sources indicated that Bangladesh was given a final 24-hour window to consult with its authorities and reconsider its refusal to play in India. However, the BCB later confirmed that its concerns had still not been adequately addressed, prompting the board to stand by its original decision.

Following the discussions, Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul issued a strongly worded statement, accusing the ICC of failing to treat Bangladesh fairly. “The ICC has not served US justice,” Nazrul said. “This issue goes beyond cricketing commitments. We refuse to compromise under pressure. The world must understand the implications of excluding Bangladesh from the World Cup. Under no circumstances can we risk our players’ security.”

As per the original Group C draw, Bangladesh was scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, alongside England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies. The BCB had requested that these fixtures be shifted to Sri Lanka, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, when the 16-team competition begins on February 7.

In the aftermath of Bangladesh’s refusal, Scotland is now widely expected to replace Bangladesh in the tournament. The ICC stated on Thursday that it had remained in “constant and constructive dialogue” with the BCB for several weeks, sharing detailed information including independent security reviews, venue-level safety plans, and formal assurances from Indian authorities. According to the ICC, all assessments consistently concluded that there was no verifiable threat to the Bangladesh team.

“Our Concerns Are Not Assumptions”

Rejecting the ICC’s position, Asif Nazrul insisted that Bangladesh’s fears were grounded in real-world incidents, not speculation. He referred to a recent episode involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who was withdrawn from the Indian Premier League (ipl) amid political protests and security threats directed at the Kolkata Knight Riders over the participation of Bangladeshi players.

“These security risks are unchanged,” Nazrul said. “Our concerns are based on an actual incident, not hypothetical analysis. One of our country’s top players was effectively forced out of India due to extremist pressure. He was not provided adequate protection. Now, the ICC tournament is being hosted in the same country. The ICC may claim there is no threat, but the ICC is not a country. The responsibility for security ultimately lies with the host nation.”

BCB vice-president Enamul (Animul) Islam Bulbul added that the board would continue to pursue a review of the ICC’s decision, even though prospects for a reversal appear slim. “We contacted the ICC on January 4 and formally requested an alternative venue,” he said. “We highlighted security concerns and cited historical precedents from 1996 and 2003. We made it clear that we were willing to play in Sri Lanka under the hybrid model.”

Bulbul emphasized that Bangladesh would not abandon its efforts. “Today, we are exploring how to present our case to the ICC once again. Excluding a major cricket-loving nation like Bangladesh would be a loss for the tournament itself. We are not giving up, and we will continue to fight for a fair resolution.”

For now, Bangladesh is preparing for all possible outcomes. Unless the ICC agrees to a change of venue, the likelihood of a T20 World Cup without Bangladesh continues to grow, marking a significant and controversial moment in international cricket.