Bangladesh’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul has issued a strong response to the International Cricket Council (ICC), warning that Bangladesh will not accept any “unreasonable conditions” if the global body bows to pressure from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nazrul made it clear that Bangladesh’s stance is rooted in security concerns, not defiance. He dismissed speculation that Scotland could replace Bangladesh in the tournament if they choose not to travel to India, reiterating that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested its matches be shifted to co-host Sri Lanka.
The issue has been simmering for weeks and intensified after the BCB held talks with ICC officials in Dhaka over the weekend. Those discussions failed to break the deadlock, with Bangladesh standing firm on its demand for a venue change. The BCB’s concerns reportedly escalated after the BCCI directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, citing political tensions between the two countries.
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According to a Cricbuzz report, the ICC has set January 21 as the deadline to resolve the impasse, with preparations for the tournament entering a critical phase. The report also noted that if Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland—the next-highest-ranked team to fail to qualify—the ICC would need to allow at least 15 days for logistical and competitive preparation.
🚨 JUST IN: Bangladesh government’s sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, has said that they are not ready to change their stance about playing for the T20 World Cup, and want all their games moved to Sri Lanka
No agreement was reached during the meetings between BCB and ICC officials… pic.twitter.com/0QNCJRSUbq
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) January 20, 2026
Nazrul rejected the idea of Bangladesh being pressured into compliance. “I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place. If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions,” he said.
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He also cited past precedents to support Bangladesh’s case. “There have been instances where Pakistan refused to travel to India and the ICC changed the venue. We have asked for a venue change on logical grounds and cannot be forced to play in India through illogical pressure,” Nazrul added.
Bangladesh have been placed in Group C alongside West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy, with their fixtures currently scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.
