Dhaka: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to send its senior men’s cricket team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, according to a report by The Daily Star.

The decision was taken during a BCB directors’ meeting held on Sunday. The board has also formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, the report quoted a BCB official as saying.

An official statement from the BCB on the matter is expected shortly.

The development comes a day after Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed that Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been released from its IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

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In a media advisory, KKR said, “Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.”

Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the decision was taken in view of the prevailing situation.

“Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement,” Saikia told ANI.

Mustafizur’s inclusion in the IPL squad had triggered political backlash in India, particularly amid concerns over the targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The issue sparked widespread debate over his selection by KKR for the IPL 2026 season.

The left-arm pacer was bought by the Kolkata-based franchise for Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction held in December last year.

Bangladesh are scheduled to begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. They are set to play Italy on February 9 at the same venue, followed by a clash against 2022 champions England, also in Kolkata.

After the England match, Bangladesh are slated to travel to Mumbai to face Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will get underway on February 7 with the opening match between Pakistan and the Netherlands in Colombo. (ANI)