The decision was taken during an ICC Board meeting, which was convened to discuss the way forward after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wanted its matches be moved to Sri Lanka.
“The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India,” the ICC said in a statement.
“The ICC Board noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events and undermine its neutrality as a global governing body,” the statement added.
An ICC spokesperson said, “Over the past several weeks, the ICC has engaged with the BCB in sustained and constructive dialogue, with the clear objective of enabling Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament. During this period, the ICC has shared detailed inputs, including independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities, all of which consistently concluded that there is no credible or verifiable threat to the safety or security of the Bangladesh team in India. Despite these efforts, the BCB maintained its position, repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its player’s involvement in a domestic league. This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
The BCB had refused to tour India, citing security concerns, after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders on the BCCI’s instructions. The development came against the backdrop of strained relations and geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh, placed in Group C, is scheduled to play West Indies, Italy and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, before facing Nepal at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The T20 World Cup begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
Published on Jan 21, 2026
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