As questions continue to mount over the fate of Bangladesh’s group-stage matches at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reaffirmed that it has received no communication from the ICC regarding any changes to the scheduled venues. Meanwhile, an internal ICC security assessment and a wave of public commentary from Bangladesh officials have pushed the matter further into the spotlight.
ICC considers venue changes for Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup games
According to earlier reports, the International Cricket Council was evaluating the possibility of shifting Bangladesh’s matches — initially scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai — to alternative cities such as Chennai and Trivandrum. This came in response to a formal request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which cited political tensions between India and Bangladesh as cause for concern. At one point, the BCB even expressed interest in Sri Lanka as a backup host nation, though that proposal appears unlikely.
Bangladesh is currently slated to play three group matches in Kolkata — against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9), and England (February 14) — followed by a game against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
BCCI reiterates it has no role in ICC-BCB venue talks
Despite the rising noise around the issue, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told IANS that India’s cricket board has had no involvement in the matter and remains in a waiting role.
“The BCCI has not received any communication regarding the matter of shifting Bangladesh matches to Chennai or anywhere else, and it is beyond our control. It is a matter of communication between the BCB and the ICC, as the ICC is the governing body. If the ICC conveys any decision to us regarding a change of venue, the BCCI, as the host, will take the necessary steps. At present, we are not privy to any such information,” Saikia said.
Nazrul claims ICC security note supports relocation — but BCB and ICC deny
The debate took a new turn after Asif Nazrul, adviser to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, publicly cited what he described as the ICC’s assessment, claiming it proved Bangladesh could not safely play in India. Speaking to reporters in Dhaka, Nazrul said, “We have sent two letters (to the ICC), after which the ICC security team have sent a letter.”
He alleged that the ICC flagged three specific factors that increased the security risk: “One is if Mustafizur (Rahman) is included in the Bangladesh team. Two, if the supporters of the Bangladesh team walk around wearing the national jersey of Bangladesh. And the third is that the closer the (Bangladesh general) election comes, the more the security threat for the Bangladesh team will increase,” he said.
Nazrul then went on to argue, “So this statement of the ICC security team has proven beyond a doubt that there is no situation for the Bangladesh cricket team to play the T20 World Cup in India. If the ICC expects us to make a cricket team without our best bowler, our supporters will not be able to wear the Bangladesh jersey, and we will postpone the Bangladesh elections to play cricket, then there can be no more bizarre, unrealistic and unreasonable expectation than this.”
He further added, “We believe that the prevailing communal situation in India and the anti-Bangladesh atmosphere, especially the continuous anti-Bangladesh campaign that has been going on for the last 16 months, have made it impossible for Bangladesh to play cricket in India.”
However, both the Bangladesh Cricket Board and government officials have since moved to temper those claims. In an official statement, the BCB clarified, “The correspondence cited today by the Adviser for the Ministry of Youth & Sports was in reference to an internal communication between the BCB and the ICC’s Security Department related to threat assessments for the Bangladesh team ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
“This does not constitute a formal response from the ICC to the BCB’s request for the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches outside India. The BCB reiterates that it has formally raised concerns regarding venue arrangements and has requested relocation of Bangladesh’s matches outside India in the interest of the team’s security. The Board confirms that it is still awaiting an official response from the ICC on this matter.”
Adding further clarification, Azad Majumder, deputy press secretary to Bangladesh chief advisor Muhammad Yunus, stated via Facebook, “The ICC communication cited by the sports adviser today was an inter-departmental note on threat assessments ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in India, not a response to Bangladesh’s request to relocate the matches outside India.”
ICC pushes back on Bangladesh claims, says risk level remains manageable
With Bangladesh’s venue dispute turning into a public flashpoint, the ICC has now moved to shut down the idea that its own security review supports relocating matches out of India. In response to the growing debate, an ICC source told PTI on condition of anonymity that, “The ICC is aware of public comments made in recent days concerning the participation of Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, including selective references to the ICC’s security risk assessment. The assessments did not identify any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team, team officials, or match venues in India.”
The source further clarified that, “It is important to clarify that the ICC’s independent risk assessments, carried out by internationally recognised security experts, do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India.” The same official also stressed that, “The overall security risk for the tournament in India has been assessed as low to moderate, which is consistent with the profile of many major global sporting events.”
While Bangladesh’s matches remain scheduled for Kolkata and Mumbai, the ICC source maintained that the security outlook for those fixtures has not been deemed alarming, adding, “Based on the professional advice received, the risk associated with Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai is assessed as low to moderate, with no indication of risks that cannot be effectively managed through established security planning and mitigation measures.”
Addressing the way the assessment has been interpreted in public discussions, the ICC source insisted, “These scenarios are not statements of fact, instructions, or expectations, nor do they represent conditions set by the ICC regarding team selection, supporter behaviour, or domestic political processes.” At the same time, the official underlined confidence in the host board and local agencies, saying, “The ICC has full confidence in the security arrangements being developed in close collaboration with the BCCI and relevant local authorities, who have a strong and proven track record of safely delivering major international sporting events.”
Even with its position holding firm, the ICC signalled it is not shutting the door on engagement, as the source added, “The ICC remains open to constructive dialogue and feedback to further strengthen arrangements where appropriate.”
ICC holds firm on schedule despite Bangladesh’s security concerns
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC’s internal security assessment found no specific or elevated threat to the Bangladesh team in India. The risk levels for scheduled venues were described as low to moderate — standard classifications that typically do not justify changes to fixtures.
Meanwhile, multiple outlets, including ESPNcricinfo and the Hindustan Times, have reported that the ICC’s stance on the matter remains unchanged: the tournament schedule has already been finalized and publicly released, and all participating teams are expected to fulfill their obligations as per the ICC’s event participation guidelines. Additionally, ESPNcricinfo reported that the ICC does not interpret the cited risk factors as grounds for venue relocation and believes the concerns raised by Nazrul reflect a misreading of routine contingency assessments rather than actual directives or confirmed threats.
This means that — despite political friction, strong rhetoric, and public debate — the ICC has made no move to change Bangladesh’s match schedule, nor has it officially responded to the BCB’s relocation request.
Bangladesh camp faces growing pressure as debate spills beyond boardrooms
As the dispute continues to play out through official statements and political rhetoric, the uncertainty has also begun to create discomfort around the Bangladesh camp. The latest report noted that former captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto urged caution over how the issue is handled publicly, with Tamim warning that decisions taken now could carry long-term consequences, including the possibility that choices made today may have repercussions 10 years down the line.
Shanto, meanwhile, highlighted the mental strain the situation is creating for players, pointing to the psychological stress of facing a scenario where Bangladesh could miss out on a World Cup altogether.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is scheduled to begin on February 7.
