In a high-stakes cricket drama, ICC has given Bangladesh until January 21 to greenlight their India travel for the 2026 T20 World Cup group stages. Non-compliance means Scotland takes their slot, per T20 rankings.
Roots of the dispute trace to a Dhaka meeting where BCB raised alarms over a security advisory deeming India ‘medium-high risk.’ They sought match shifts to Sri Lanka and group tweaks with Ireland—requests ICC dismissed, affirming general safety for all teams.
Bangladesh faces three fixtures in Kolkata and one in Mumbai from February 7. Adding fuel, BCCI mandated KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman, the 9.2 crore IPL sensation, ahead of 2026. BCB views this as validation of their security woes.
The World Cup, a joint India-Sri Lanka affair from February 7 to March 8, promises fireworks. ICC’s stance prioritizes schedule integrity amid bilateral strains. Bangladesh’s response will dictate not just their fate but potentially elevate Scotland’s global ambitions.
Observers watch closely as diplomacy meets deadlines in this unfolding cricketing crisis.