Bangladesh Cricket Board to seek T20 World Cup venue change from India

Mumbai: With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directing Kolkata Knight Riders to release their player Mustafizur Rahman from a contract to play IPL 2026, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to approach ICC for a change of venue for their matches during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that India will be hosting jointly with Sri Lanka, a news report has said.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play matches against the West Indies (Feb 7, 2026), Italy (Feb 9), and England (Feb 14) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Nepal (Feb 17) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

With the BCCI not allowing Mustafizur to play in India following a demand raised by some people because of the killing of Hindus by mobs in Bangladesh, the country’s cricket board has expressed apprehension over the safety of its players in India and therefore sought a change of venues.

A top BCB official told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) that it will be putting the ball in ICC’s court following the decision taken by BCCI, as tension between the two countries is mounting with each passing day.

“I cannot make any comment regarding the release of Mustafizur as this is their internal matter, but as far as taking part in the World Cup is concerned, it is an ICC event, and they will make the final call after taking everything into consideration,” the BCB official told www.telecomasia.net.

The official said the BCB will take up the matter regarding the T20 World Cup with the ICC at the earliest and pointed out that Pakistan too has decided not to play in India after India refused to travel to their country for the 2025 Champions Trophy. IANS

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