Bangladesh Seeks Shift of T20 World Cup 2026 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."