Cricket’s global governing body, ICC, has thrown down the gauntlet to Bangladesh ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. With a January 21 deadline, the BCB must confirm their team’s willingness to play group matches in India—or risk being ousted by Scotland.
The standoff erupted after a Saturday showdown in Dhaka. BCB voiced strong objections to traveling to India, pointing to a independent security firm’s warning of elevated risks. They pushed for relocating matches to Sri Lanka and even swapping groups with Ireland, but ICC shot down both ideas.
No unique dangers await Bangladesh players in India, ICC emphasized. Yet, the BCB’s stance hardened post-BCCI’s move to force KKR to drop Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026 contracts. The 9.2 crore star’s release has been interpreted as a red flag for Bangladeshi cricketers’ safety.
Bangladesh’s itinerary includes key clashes in Kolkata (three) and Mumbai (one), kicking off February 7. The tournament spans February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka. Scotland, ranked favorably in T20Is, stands ready to fill any vacancy.
This saga underscores brewing geopolitical frictions in cricket. Will Bangladesh blink first, or will we witness an unexpected Scottish resurgence on the world stage? The clock is ticking.