Mumbai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a January 21 deadline to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to confirm the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo. The move comes after BCB expressed its unwillingness to play the tournament in India, citing security concerns following the release of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL.
An ICC delegation held talks with BCB officials in Dhaka on Saturday and asked the board to take a final call by January 21. The ICC reportedly made it clear that failure to confirm participation within the stipulated time would force the governing body to name a replacement team for the tournament, with Scotland emerging as the frontrunner.
The report said the ICC also turned down BCB’s proposal to swap groups with Ireland and reassured the Bangladesh board that there were no security threats to its players in India. The apex body further cautioned that pulling out of the tournament could lead to substantial financial losses and possible sanctions.
With the ICC putting the onus squarely on BCB, the decision now rests with the Bangladesh board, which stands to lose significant revenue if it opts out of the global event.
Meanwhile, focus has shifted to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and how it responds to the ICC’s ultimatum. The PCB had earlier said it would review its participation if Bangladesh’s concerns were not resolved, after BCB sought its support. However, officials indicated that neither the BCB nor the PCB is financially positioned to challenge the ICC, adding uncertainty to any coordinated stance. (Agencies)
