With the International Cricket Council set to take a final call on Bangladesh’s participation in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, fresh developments have added another layer to an already tense situation. According to ESPNcricinfo, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally written to the ICC, voicing support for the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s stance of not playing its matches in India due to prevailing political and security concerns in the region.
The PCB is understood to have copied ICC Board members on the correspondence. The timing is significant, coming just a day before the ICC’s scheduled Board meeting on Wednesday, where Bangladesh’s request to relocate its World Cup fixtures to Sri Lanka will be discussed.
Sri Lanka is a designated co-host of the tournament alongside India, but the ICC has so far remained firm that the existing schedule will not be altered. Despite Pakistan’s late intervention, sources suggest it is unlikely to influence the ICC’s position.
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During discussions with the BCB last week, the global governing body reiterated that Bangladesh would play its group-stage matches in India as originally planned. That stance has not changed publicly, even as the deadline for a resolution—set for January 21—draws closer, leaving little margin for compromise with the tournament less than three weeks away.
Backed strongly by the Bangladesh government, the BCB has refused to send its team to India, citing security concerns. Multiple rounds of talks, including high-level meetings in Dhaka over the weekend, have failed to break the deadlock, with both sides holding their ground.
The PCB’s involvement follows days of speculation around alternative scenarios. Reports, none officially confirmed, suggested Pakistan could potentially host Bangladesh’s matches or that the PCB was internally reviewing its own participation depending on how the situation unfolded. The PCB, however, has remained silent in public, declining to comment on the matter.
The roots of the dispute lie in the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s decision to ask IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 season. While no formal explanation was issued, strained political relations were widely cited, prompting Bangladesh’s government to take a firm stand against touring India.
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The fallout has been significant. The uncertainty sparked unrest among players and even led to a boycott that disrupted the Bangladesh Premier League after comments from a senior BCB official about possible financial consequences drew criticism. With the ICC Board now set to deliberate, Bangladesh’s World Cup future hangs in the balance at a crucial juncture.
