Bangladesh will not travel to India for T20 World Cup: BCB
Since Kolkata Knight Riders dropped Mustafizur Rahman following a BCCI directive, concerns over the safety of Bangladesh’s cricketers at the World Cup have come to the forefront.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided that the national cricket team will not go to India to participate in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
The decision was taken at a meeting with 17 board directors this afternoon (4 January).
When asked about the matter, BCB Director Khaled Mashud Pilot told The Business Standard, "We have sent a letter to the ICC requesting that our match be moved from India to Sri Lanka.
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"If they [India] cannot provide security to one of our players, how will they ensure the security of our entire team? That is why we will not go there to play."
Following the exclusion of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) yesterday, BCB directors also held an online meeting last night, during which most of the directors advised against taking any harsh measures, he said.
However, after learning the interim government's stance, they changed their decision, Pilot added.
Since Mustafizur was dropped by KKR following a directive of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) yesterday, concerns over the safety of Bangladesh's cricketers at the World Cup have come to the forefront.
The 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on 7 February. Bangladesh is scheduled to face the West Indies in their opening match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Drawn in Group C, Bangladesh will also compete against defending champions England, Italy, and Nepal.
While the schedule currently lists three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, the BCB has recently discussed a venue change to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.
Ultimately, the BCB decided to send a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) requesting a change of venue.
The BCB today also announced a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, with wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das named as captain and Saif Hassan as his deputy.
The squad includes notable exclusions. Najmul Hossain Shanto, despite showing good form in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), has been left out, as has wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali.
In total, six players from the 2024 World Cup campaign have been omitted.
Veterans Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah Riyad are absent, alongside Soumya Sarkar and Tanvir Islam.
Nine players have retained their spots from the previous edition, including Mustafizur.
