ICC Stands Firm on Hosting T20 World Cup Matches in India, Bangladesh Reverses Claims

The controversy over Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup continues to simmer. Despite repeated claims from Bangladesh that it is willing to play matches anywhere except India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has firmly refused to shift the venues. Given the limited time before the tournament begins, ICC has maintained that relocating matches is no longer feasible. However, Bangladesh has been offered the option to play at an alternative venue within India. Meanwhile, comments from Bangladesh’s Sports Advisor, Asif Nazrul, alleging threats to team security have been strongly denied by the ICC, forcing Bangladesh to retract its earlier claims.

Here’s a summary of the situation in five key points:

1. Bangladesh rejects alternative venue within India
   ICC offered Bangladesh the option to play at a different venue within India. However, Asif Nazrul dismissed this idea, insisting that Bangladesh does not want to play in India at all, suggesting that matches could instead be held in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, or the UAE.
2. False security claims involving Mustafizur Rahman
   Nazrul alleged that ICC’s security team warned that including Mustafizur Rahman in the squad, the presence of fans wearing team jerseys, or the proximity of elections in Bangladesh could increase security risks in India. He claimed these points indicated an unsafe environment for Bangladesh to play in India.
3. ICC exposes Bangladesh’s false claims
   Within hours, ICC clarified that independent risk assessments by internationally recognized security experts found no such threats. Security risks for the entire tournament were rated as “low to moderate,” standard for any international sporting event. ICC also emphasized it does not interfere with team selection, fan behavior, or domestic political matters.
4. Bangladesh changes its stance
   Following ICC’s clarification, Bangladesh Deputy Press Secretary Azad Mazumdar stated that Nazrul had misunderstood an internal note, and the letter cited was not ICC’s response to the venue relocation request.
5. Current situation
   The deadlock continues: ICC refuses to move matches, while Bangladesh insists on not sending its team to India. If the issue is not resolved in the next 1–2 days, ICC may be forced to take a major decision, which could include dropping Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup.