 "Mustafizur Rahman became the most expensive Bangladeshi player ever in the recent IPL auction but has now been released. Reuters")
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is planning to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a change in venues for the T20 World Cup, according to a report in the Telecom Asia Sport. The news of the demands for a change in venues comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad due to ongoing political crisis in the neighbouring country.
Bangladesh are scheduled to be travelling to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 where they will play in Kolkata and Mumbai in the group stage. However, now it seems Bangladesh are not eager to come to India. If the report is true, then Bangladesh could become another team playing the World Cup in hybrid model after Pakistan are already playing all of their scheduled matches outside India.
BCB says ICC will take the final call
Bangladesh have been placed in Group C alongside West Indies, England, Italy and debutants Italy. They will play their first three games in Kolkata before taking on Italy in Mumbai.
The Telecom Asia Sport states that BCB has said that ICC will be making the final call after taking everything into consideration.
“I cannot make any comment regarding the release of Mustafizur as this is their internal matter, but as far as taking part in the World Cup is concerned, it is an ICC event, and they will make the final call after taking everything into consideration," a BCB official was quoted as saying by Telecom Asia Sport.
The report also states that BCB wants ICC to hear the matter urgently since the start of the World is now just a month away.
BCCI says Bangladesh World Cup matches on track
BCCI sources on the other hand have said that even as the political situation between the two countries remains strained, the World Cup will go as planned and Bangladesh will play all their games as scheduled .
“As far as the T20I World Cup is concerned, Bangladesh will play as per the scheduled games in India,” the Indian Express quoted a top BCCI official as saying.
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View AllHowever, India’s tour to Bangladesh whose revised schedule was released by BCB on Friday, has been put on hold.
“We didn’t travel to Bangladesh last year too, BCB had issued their international calendar, but it looks doubtful, as we need Indian government approval to play in any other country," Indian Express stated in a report.