ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC), chaired by Jay Shah, has reportedly rejected a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to shift Bangladesh’s matches out of India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Shah, who assumed charge as ICC chair in August 2024, previously served as secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and is the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the decision was conveyed to the BCB during a virtual meeting on Tuesday, where the ICC informed the Bangladesh board that it would not consider relocating the fixtures.
The governing body is also understood to have warned that Bangladesh would have to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points.
However, the BCB has denied receiving any such ultimatum, stating that the ICC has relayed no formal communication to that effect.
Neither the ICC nor the BCCI has issued an official statement on the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting, which was convened after the BCB wrote to the ICC on Sunday requesting it to “consider” moving Bangladesh’s matches outside India.
Last week, the BCB said it had "formally requested" the ICC shift their games to Sri Lanka.
"The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions," a BCB statement read.
The development comes less than a month before the 20-team T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held across India and Sri Lanka from Feb. 7 to March 8.
Bangladesh, placed in Group C, are set to play their first three matches in Kolkata, against the West Indies on Feb. 7, Italy on Feb. 9, and England on Feb. 14, before facing Nepal in Mumbai on Feb. 17.
The BCB’s concerns reportedly stem from a recent decision by the BCCI to instruct IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who was bought at the December auction for INR 9.2 crore (about $1.02 million).
The decision was confirmed to the media by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, though no reason was provided for the release.
It remains unclear who was involved in the decision, as the IPL Governing Council is understood not to have convened to discuss the matter. Mustafizur was the only Bangladesh player selected at the 2026 IPL auction.
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