Bangladesh board says ICC willing listen to concerns about playing in India

The Bangladesh board had a meeting with cricket's governing body about a possible relocation of their fixtures for the global tournament that starts on 7 February.

The statement did not mention whether Bangladesh would play in India or not.

"The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has received response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the Board's expressed concerns over the safety and security of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team in India for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, including the request for relocation of the team's matches," the BCB said.

"In its communication, the ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament.

"The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the Board's inputs will be welcomed and duly considered as part of the detailed security planning for the event."

It was widely reported that the ICC had rejected the BCB's request for Bangladesh's matches to be moved and that they would forfeit points if they did not accept the fixtures as is.

The BCB refuted those reports though, saying: "The BCB has also taken note of certain reports published in a section of the media suggesting that the Board has been issued an ultimatum in this regard.

"The BCB categorically states that such claims are completely false, unfounded and do not reflect the nature or content of the communication received from the ICC."

Bangladesh's refusal to play in India started after seamer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders following a BCCI directive amid deteriorating relations between the two countries.

READ MORE: Paul Adams urges SA U19 team to trust themselves in upcoming World Cup