ICC rejects BCB request; Bangladesh must play in India or forfeit World Cup points: Report

Mumbai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), stating the team must travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup or face a mandatory forfeit of their tournament points.

The governing body’s decision on Tuesday effectively shuts the door on Bangladesh’s formal request to move its group-stage fixtures to a neutral venue, such as Sri Lanka, amid deteriorating diplomatic relations and security concerns cited by Dhaka.

According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, the ICC's executive board met via teleconference to discuss the deadlock, ultimately ruling that there are no "extraordinary grounds" to justify a last-minute relocation of matches. The council emphasised that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has provided comprehensive "Head of State" level security guarantees for all participating nations, including Bangladesh.

The standoff began earlier this week when the Bangladesh government imposed a broadcast ban on the Indian Premier League (IPL) and advised its national team against travelling across the border. The tension was further exacerbated by the BCCI’s directive to the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman.

Under the ICC’s tournament participation agreement, any team that refuses to play a scheduled fixture without the approval of the event technical committee is deemed to have forfeited the match. For Bangladesh, this would result in zero points for their scheduled games against India and other Group A opponents, virtually ensuring an early exit from the tournament.

"The schedule for the 2026 T20 World Cup was agreed upon by all members, including the BCB, over a year ago," an ICC official noted. "Host agreements are binding, and shifting matches so close to the February 7 start date would present insurmountable logistical and commercial challenges."

The BCB now faces a difficult choice: defy its own government’s travel advisory to preserve its World Cup standing or stand firm and risk heavy sanctions and a significant loss in participation revenue.

The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh’s opening fixture currently slated to take place in Mumbai. The BCB is expected to hold an emergency meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday to finalise its position.