T20 World Cup 2026: Bangladesh flag security concerns to ICC amid Mustafizur Rahman IPL exit controversy
Aminul Islam, the president of the cricket board in Bangladesh (BCB), said on Monday that “the BCB’s position on the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will depend on the ICC’s response,” after the country submitted a formal request for its fixtures to be shifted out of India on grounds of security.
“You know that we, along with all the directors of the cricket board, held two meetings before taking this decision, and at this moment we do not feel secure sending our team to India to play the World Cup,” Aminul said as quoted by Cricbuzz.
The notice to the ICC is based on a recent controversy that arose with a fast bowler from Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman, who exited from the Kolkata Knight Riders lineup for the IPL was due to the instructions given by the BCCI. From the Bangladesh side, it brought into question issues of player movement and security and logistical issues regarding a world cup to be staged in India.
Aminul has confirmed that BCB has formally conveyed their concerns to ICC and now a response is awaited. He also focused on the matter being handed directly with the governing body rather than as a issue between Bangladesh and Indian cricket board.
“So we wrote a letter to the ICC, and in the letter we clearly stated what we wanted to say. Because to us, security appeared to be a major concern, and that is what we are following. We have sent an email to the ICC, and we are expecting them to tell us to have a meeting with them soon, where we will express our concern,” he said.
“But what our next step will be depends on the reply to the email we have sent. We do not know what feedback will come, but the clauses we have given are within the MPO. We are not communicating with BCCI because this is an ICC event. We are communicating with the ICC,” he said.
This is also particularly when there are concerns over India’s involvement in a white-ball tour to Bangladesh later this year, considering the tense political relationship between the countries. However, Aminul made it clear that the politics between the two countries do not in any way affect the concerns of the Bangladesh government over the security issues related to the World Cup.
“Look, cricket between two countries, like playing a bilateral series or playing in the World Cup, is one thing, and security concern is another matter. So for now, we are thinking about the World Cup issue,” he said.
As the matter escalated, Aminul aldo scknowledged that Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed all the local broadcasters to suspend the IPL 2026 broadcasting.
“This is India’s domestic cricket, and in domestic cricket, who to show or not to show is the decision of our government. From our side, since the government, through the Ministry of Information, has taken this decision, we have nothing to say. However, it is true that we support the decision taken by the government,” he said.