Bangladesh Seeks Shift of T20 World Cup 2026 Matches from India to Sri Lanka
Mustafizur Rahman row: Following BCCI's directive, KKR has released Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL team. Reports suggest that the Bangladesh Cricket Board will now request the ICC to move its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka.
As per the directions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladeshi speedster, from the KKR Indian Premier League (IPL) side. The BCCI had taken this difficult decision because of the prevailing political scenario as well as events unfolding in Bangladesh. Now, news is breaking about the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) seeking a written request to the International Cricket Council (ICC), as is the precedent set by Pakistan, to hold their T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka rather than India.
Recently, there have been reports of killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. This has created consternation in the relationship that exists between the two nations. In the recent past, KKR and its joint owner, Shah Rukh Khan, have come under attack. This all ended when the BCCI instructed the franchise to release Mustafizur Rahman from the team.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the BCB will write to the ICC, the governing body of cricket, to raise the issue of player safety in Kolkata, where Bangladesh is scheduled to play its first three matches of the T20 World Cup. The report quoted BCB Media Committee Chairman Amjad Hussain as saying, "Our three T20 World Cup matches are in Kolkata. Therefore, we will write to the ICC about what has happened now."
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Bangladesh Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul has already stated that he will write to the ICC, asking the BCB to shift its matches to Sri Lanka. He also expressed serious concerns about the team's safety in India. He wrote on Facebook, "I have asked the board to explain the entire matter to the ICC."
The board should explain that if a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite having a contract, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe in India to play the World Cup. I have also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka. He also said that he has already requested the country's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to stop the IPL telecast in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches are scheduled to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai, with their first match against the West Indies at Eden Gardens on February 7. Interestingly, earlier this week, the BCB also announced its domestic season schedule, in which Bangladesh will play three ODIs and the same number of T20 matches against India.
