Pakistan, the 2009 ICC T20 World Cup champions, might boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 if Bangladesh decides to opt out of the tournament, according to Geo News.
The potential withdrawal of Bangladesh would follow the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rejection of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to move their matches from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns.
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According to reports, the BCB is expected to make a final decision on sending its team to India after consulting with the players.
Reports added that while most Bangladesh players are in favour of participating, a withdrawal could trigger Pakistan’s possible boycott.
The ICC confirmed that the T20 World Cup 2026 will continue as scheduled from February 7 to March 8, with Bangladesh’s matches to be played in India.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will proceed as scheduled with Bangladesh’s matches to be played in India,” the ICC said in a statement.
READ: ICC responds to Bangladesh request to shift T20 World Cup matches from India
The decision followed a board meeting on January 21, held via video conference, to discuss the BCB’s request to relocate the team’s matches to Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh are drawn in Group C and are scheduled to play their first three group matches in Kolkata, against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14, before concluding the group stage against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
Following the ICC’s rejection, BCB president Aminul Islam said he asked for more time to discuss the matter with his government.
“They [ICC] said it’s a valid point and gave me 24 or 48 hours to get back to them. I don’t want to put pressure on the government. We know that India is not secure for us. We remain in the stance that we want to play in Sri Lanka,” Islam said.
He added that both the players and the government want Bangladesh to participate, but the final decision would take into account the overall safety of the team.
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“I am hoping for a miracle from the ICC,” he said.
“But we don’t think India is safe for our players. A government doesn’t only consider the players, but they consider everyone when it takes a decision,” he concluded.
