The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Wednesday that the International Cricket Council is reviewing its request to relocate Bangladesh’s Twenty20 World Cup fixtures from India due to security concerns.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained in recent weeks. The situation escalated after Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders said the Board of Control for Cricket in India advised them to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman. Following this, Bangladesh’s interim government halted IPL broadcasts, and the BCB announced they would not play their World Cup matches in India, one of the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Bangladesh currently has three World Cup fixtures scheduled in Kolkata next month.
According to the BCB, the ICC has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring Bangladesh’s full participation in the tournament. The global body also expressed willingness to collaborate closely with the BCB to address security concerns, saying that Bangladesh’s feedback will be factored into the event’s detailed security planning.
While some media reports suggested Bangladesh had been warned to either compete in India or forfeit, the BCB strongly denied the claims, calling them “completely false.” The board reiterated it will continue discussions with the ICC to find a solution that allows the team to participate safely and successfully.
The broader backdrop remains tense. Protests erupted in New Delhi last month near the Bangladeshi High Commission following the killing of a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district after allegations of blasphemy.
