T20 World Cup: Bangladesh won't bow down to pressure from BCCI or ICC, says sports advisor

Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul has issued a strong warning to the International Cricket Council (ICC), saying they will not accept any “unreasonable conditions” or external pressure amid an escalating dispute over their T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures in India.

The global tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2026, but Bangladesh have so far refused to play their group-stage matches at Indian venues, citing security concerns. The ICC had earlier released a schedule placing Bangladesh in a group whose matches are slated for Kolkata’s Eden Gardens and Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

Speaking to reporters, Nazrul dismissed speculation that Bangladesh could be replaced in the tournament if the standoff continues. “We have not heard anything about Scotland being included instead of us,” he said. “If the ICC



exerts pressure or bows down to the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and imposes any unreasonable conditions, or puts pressure on us, we will not accept those conditions.”

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has maintained that its position is driven purely by safety considerations and not politics, insisting it does not want the team travelling to India for the tournament. The board has formally sought either a change of venues to Sri Lanka or a reshuffle of groups to allow Bangladesh to play all their matches outside India.

However, the ICC is understood to be reluctant to alter the tournament plan at such a late stage. With the competition only weeks away, reports suggest that the governing body sees no compelling grounds to relocate matches already assigned to Indian stadiums and is wary of setting a precedent by accommodating last-minute demands from one participant.