The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially written to the International Cricket Council (ICC), expressing support for the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision not to play its matches in India amid ongoing political tensions.
The letter from PCB comes just a day before the ICC is expected to make a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will begin on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka.
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PCB reportedly copied members of the ICC Board in its correspondence, backing Bangladesh’s concerns over travelling to India during a period of regional instability.
The ICC has scheduled a Board meeting on Wednesday to discuss BCB’s request to move Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka due to security concerns in India.
It remains unclear whether PCB’s intervention prompted the meeting.
So far, the ICC has remained firm on its plan to keep the tournament schedule unchanged, expecting Bangladesh to play its group-stage matches in India.
READ: PCB willing to host Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches: reports
The BCB, with backing from the Bangladesh government, has refused to send its national team to India.
Multiple meetings between ICC and BCB officials, including the latest discussions in Dhaka last weekend, have failed to resolve the issue.
Neither side has changed its position.
The dispute initially escalated after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad.
No official reason was given, but tensions between India and Bangladesh were cited as a contributing factor.
Following this, the Bangladesh government formally stated that the national team would not travel to India for World Cup matches.
The situation has since caused unrest among players in Bangladesh and briefly impacted the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) after a senior BCB official made controversial remarks regarding top players and the financial implications of a potential World Cup withdrawal.
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PCB has not publicly commented on the matter, though unverified reports suggested Pakistan could host Bangladesh’s matches or reconsider its own participation depending on how the situation unfolds.
