Bangladesh T20 World Cup India participation remains uncertain after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday categorically ruled out travelling to India for next month’s T20 World Cup, citing security concerns despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejecting its request to shift matches to Sri Lanka.
The firm stance was confirmed by BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul, who said Bangladesh’s only demand was participation in the World Cup — but not on Indian soil. His remarks effectively ruled out the team’s involvement in the 20-nation mega event scheduled to begin on February 7.
The decision followed a high-level meeting between BCB officials, national team players, and Adviser to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, Asif Nazrul. After the meeting, Nazrul reiterated that Bangladesh’s position remained unchanged despite the ICC dismissing its plea during a board meeting held on Wednesday.
Nazrul said there was “no scope” to revise the decision, adding that Bangladesh believed it had not received justice from the ICC. He stressed that the security situation in India had not improved and that the concerns were based on an actual incident rather than speculation.
“We still hope that ICC will do justice with us,” Nazrul said, adding that Bangladesh’s concerns stemmed from a real security failure involving one of its cricketers.
He further alleged that Indian authorities failed to provide adequate protection to a Bangladeshi player who was allegedly put under pressure by extremist groups, stating that India’s cricket board, which he described as closely linked to the government, either failed or was unwilling to ensure the player’s safety.
“The security situation in India remains unchanged. Our concerns did not materialise out of thin air,” Nazrul said, reinforcing the government-backed position of the cricket board.
The ICC has yet to announce contingency plans should Bangladesh formally withdraw from the tournament, as uncertainty continues to loom over the World Cup’s final lineup.
