Bangladeshi players, staff ‘tense’ amid T20 World Cup venue controversy:Uncertainty continues as BCB remain firm on not playing in India

Bangladeshi players and staff have been left ‘tense’ amid the ongoing controversy over the T20 World Cup 2026 venue. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have refused to travel to India for the T20 World Cup, citing security issues and have sought relocation of the venues for their matches. This came after Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman was released by the KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) before IPL 2026 on the BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) instruction. Several groups in India threatened the BCCI and KKR over Mustafizur’s IPL participation amid the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi players, staff ‘tense’ and going through ‘a difficult time’ A report in Cricbuzz states that the Bangladesh players and staff are ‘tense’ as uncertainty continues to prevail over the matches for their T20 World Cup matches. Bangladesh have demanded that their matches be moved to any venue outside India. “I think it’s a very difficult time for the cricketers, considering they are not sure what is in store for them in the coming days. They are quite tense and it is understandable,” a BCB official said, as quoted by the website. The Bangladesh cricketers, as per the report, are contacting the abovementioned official to know the latest updates regarding the BCB’s stand on the T20 World Cup. Also read: ‘Won’t play in India, prepared to travel to Sri Lanka’: BCB will write to ICC again, Bangladeshi board firm on T20 World Cup stance
T20 World Cup venue controversy- what we know so far The BCB wrote to the ICC, citing the ‘growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India’ after Mustafizur’s IPL release. The ICC and BCB were subsequently involved in discussions. The BCB later also rubbished reports that claimed that the ICC gave Bangladesh an ‘ultimatum’-to play in India or forfeit points. Bangladesh’s cricket board also wrote a second letter to the ICC, mentioning their security concerns for not deciding to travel to India. Indian bat-manufacturer stops sponsoring Bangladeshi cricketers? Has Indian bat-manufacturing company Sanspareils Greenlands (SC) stopped sponsoring Bangladeshi cricketers amid the ongoing controversy? Several cricketers, the report states, have been left feeling insecure after reports claimed that SG has stopped sponsorship of Bangladesh players, including captain Litton Das. “I haven’t heard anything of that sort officially,” Cricbuzz quoted a Bangladeshi cricketer who is sponsored by SG. Also read: ‘No ultimatum from ICC’, BCB clarify their stance: Bangladeshi board hits back at ‘false’ claims over shifting of T20 World Cup matches ‘Won’t play in India, prepared to travel to Sri Lanka’: BCB director Asif Akbar In a conversation with Bhaskar English, Asif Akbar, one of the BCB directors, revealed that the board is firm on its stance of not playing in India in the T20 World Cup. Instead, he stated that Bangladesh are ready to play all their matches in Sri Lanka. “We anticipate that our people, be it, fan or journalist, might be sabotaged. We are prepared to go play in Sri Lanka. We have decided not to go to India. We are clear on why we don’t want to go to India,” he said.