Bangladesh’s Participation in the T20 2026 World Cup to be Decided on THIS Date

The decision regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the 2026 T20 World Cup is long pending. The latest reports suggest that the final decision will be taken by January 21, 2026. This also involves discussing whether the team will travel to India for the matches. 

Reports suggest that ICC informed the BCB of the deadline during their discussions in Dhaka on January 17 (Saturday). 

Details of the Meeting

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials reiterated during talks on Saturday that they want to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup, but only if their matches are held outside India. With Sri Lanka being a co-host, it has emerged as the most practical alternative venue. The BCB has cited security concerns about travelling to and playing in India, even as the ICC has maintained that the original schedule will remain unchanged, with Bangladesh placed in Group C.

The deadlock has now dragged on for almost three weeks. The BCB first raised its concerns on January 4, and with the tournament set to begin on February 7, time is running out. Bangladesh are scheduled to play the opening match against West Indies in Kolkata, which will also host their next two group games, before they play their final group match in Mumbai.

More Details on the Discussions

During Saturday’s discussions, the ICC also rejected the BCB’s proposal to move Bangladesh to Group B by swapping places with Ireland, whose group matches are scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka. The ICC is believed to have assured the BCB that there is no specific security threat to the Bangladesh team in India.

An advisory issued to all 20 participating teams, prepared by an independent security agency, classified the overall threat level in India as medium to high. However, it did not mention any direct or specific threat to any of the teams travelling for the tournament.

What’s BCB’s Take on it?

Sources familiar with the discussions said the ICC is now waiting for the BCB to make a final decision. If Bangladesh ultimately decides not to travel to India, the ICC is expected to name a replacement team, with Scotland being next in line based on current rankings.

The situation escalated after the Kolkata Knight Riders, acting on instructions from the BCCI, removed Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad without providing an official reason. This led to the Bangladesh government banning the broadcast of the IPL in the country, after which the BCB formally informed the ICC that it would not play its World Cup matches in India, a position it has maintained ever since.