DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday confirmed there would be no changes to the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 schedule or groups despite Bangladesh’s request to relocate its matches to Sri Lanka amid security concerns.
The marquee event is set to commence on 7 February across Sri Lanka and India.
The decision came following an ICC Board meeting earlier in the day, held to discuss Bangladesh’s participation in the mega event.
According to the global cricket governing body, the decision was taken after security threats were cleared.
“Considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials, and fans at any tournament venues in the country,” ICC said.
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“It was noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events and undermine its neutrality as a global governing body,” the statement added.
Bangladesh are slotted in Group C alongside West Indies, Nepal, and England.
As per the original itinerary, the Tigers’ first three matches are scheduled at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, with their last group stage fixture to be played in Mumbai.
For those unaware, the whole situation arose after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to send its team to India for the tournament, citing safety concerns for players and support staff, and had requested that the ICC shift the matches outside India.
The decision followed an IPL-related dispute involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman, which triggered strong reactions in Dhaka.
Despite multiple discussions, the ICC’s proposal to change venues within India was rejected by the BCB, which remains firm on playing its matches in Sri Lanka, prolonging the standoff.
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