ICC at Crossroads as Bangladesh Weasels Out Of India Travel for T20 World Cup 2026: Three Possible Scenarios That Could Happen

The International Cricket Council has a significant issue at hand following the Bangladesh Cricket Board's refusal to send their team to India for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Amid the ongoing tensions between the two countries, the BCB has chickened out of travelling to India, citing safety and security concerns.

Bangladesh has remained on the edge as the Muhammad Yunus-led government has been constantly oppressing the minority Hindus of the region. Protests have emerged in India over the rise of attacks on the Hindu people of Bangladesh, leading to tensions spiralling all over.

Bangladesh Cricket Chickens Out Following Mustafizur Rahman-KKR Row

Tensions erupted intensely when Mustafizur Rahman was picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 auction for a whopping INR 9.2 crore. He was the only Bangladeshi player in the auction pool, and intense backlash followed after.

The BCCI eventually 'instructed' the KKR franchise to let go of the Bangladesh fast bowler due to the 'recent developments' and will be allowed to pick a replacement player.

The BCCI's decision about Mustafizur Rahman led to the BCB backpedalling on stepping on Indian soil for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The board chickened out of the plans, putting the ICC in a perilous position as the tournament kicks off just over a month from now.

Also Read: After SRK IPL Row Blows Up, Yunus Govt Cuts The Cord With Indian Cricket; Playing And Streaming

Bangladesh Cricket has been drafted into Group C alongside England, West Indies, Nepal and Italy. Three of their fixtures were supposed to take place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, which is relatively close to the country's border.

There Are Three Possible Outcomes At Hand

As things stand, the International Cricket Council is in a race against time to narrow down a solution, given that the T20 World Cup is just a month away from being hosted in India and Sri Lanka.

There are three possible outcomes which could be enforced by the ICC and Bangladesh Cricket:

Also Read: BCCI In Talks With ICC After Bangladesh Decline Travelling To India For T20 World Cup Amid Safety Concerns: Report

1. Bangladesh's Matches Could Be Relocated to Sri Lanka: After the BCB chickened out of travelling to India, the ideal solution for the Bangladesh team would be to play all its matches in Sri Lanka.
   With the tournament being just a month away, it will be a logistical nightmare for the ICC to arrange everything in such a brief time span, but it will be a win for Bangladesh Cricket.
2. Bangladesh Could Be Forced to Compete in India: Despite Bangladesh's refusal, the ICC may hand an ultimatum to the BCB to travel to India and take part in the T20 World Cup. Following the Mustafizur Rahman-KKR row, where the people's united voices ousted the BAN fast bowler from the IPL, the BCB could be scared.
   In the past, Pakistan had initially withdrawn from travelling to India for the ICC Men's ODI World Cup in 2023, citing security concerns. But they eventually folded and took part in all the group-stage encounters. Whether Bangladesh would fold like Pakistan is yet to be seen.
3. Bangladesh Could Be Replaced By Another Team: This is a highly unlikely possibility, given that the schedule and groups have been announced for the T20 World Cup. At this stage, an ouster would be embarrassing, and Bangladesh would avoid getting itself red-faced. However, the possibility may not be ruled out by the ICC.