Bangladesh T20 World Cup fate: ICC board meeting underway
The International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting got underway today to decide whether Bangladesh will participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup. The standoff arises from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refusing to play their matches in India due to security concerns, while the ICC has reportedly rejected requests to move the games to Sri Lanka.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC board meeting on January 21, 2026, is attended by ICC Chair Jay Shah, BCB President Aminul Islam, representatives from all Full Member boards, ICC management including CEO Sanjog Gupta and Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja, Associate Member directors Mubashshir Usmani and Mahinda Vallipuram, and anti-corruption head Andrew Ephgrave.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. ESPNcricinfo outlines four main scenarios.
First, Bangladesh could agree to play in India, but this is highly unlikely given the government and BCB’s firm stance.
Second, the ICC could move Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, but this is improbable as the ICC has rejected all such proposals.
Third, withdrawal from the tournament is increasingly likely, which would allow Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualified team, to replace them. Withdrawal would affect rankings, financial earnings (the BCB would miss a $500,000 preparation fee and players at least $200,000 in prize money), and player exposure in international and franchise leagues.
Fourth, a middle-ground solution, such as playing matches at alternative venues, appears nearly impossible as previous suggestions have been dismissed by both the BCB and ICC.
ESPNcricinfo concludes that Bangladesh’s withdrawal is the most probable outcome if the ICC does not agree to move their matches to Sri Lanka, with participation in India remaining extremely unlikely and no realistic compromise in sight.
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