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A last telephone regarding Bangladesh's information successful the ICC T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and peculiarly the squad travelling to India, would beryllium taken connected January 21, reported ESPNCricinfo connected Sunday (January 18, 2026).
ESPNCricinfo understands that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) were told of this deadline by the International Cricket Council (ICC) during their discussions astatine Dhaka connected Saturday (January 17, 2026).
During Saturday's discussions, which marked the 2nd gathering betwixt the 2 parties successful the aforesaid week, the BCB erstwhile again was steadfast successful their stance of featuring successful the T20 World Cup, but extracurricular India. Ever since the merchandise of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL 2026 squad connected instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket successful India (BCCI) amid ongoing number atrocities successful Bangladesh, BCB has been pushing for matches to beryllium relocated extracurricular India, citing concerns astir "safety and security" of players.
On the different hand, ICC is steadfast connected not changing the archetypal schedule, successful which Bangladesh is successful Group C with Italy, New Zealand, West Indies and Nepal. For 3 weeks, nary last determination has come, and the opening crippled of Bangladesh is conscionable 3 weeks away, against the West Indies astatine Kolkata connected February 7. They volition play 2 much radical signifier matches astatine Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens, followed by their last radical signifier crippled successful Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
During talks connected Saturday (January 17), it was besides understood that ICC did not hold to having Bangladesh and Ireland swap groups, taking Bangladesh to Group B, making them play their opening games successful Sri Lanka. ICC is besides understood to person assured BCB that India poses nary information threats to the Bangladesh team. The ones acquainted with each discussions betwixt some parties person indicated that the shot is successful the BCB's tribunal to instrumentality a last call. If they garbage to nonstop their squad to India, ICC is apt to sanction a replacement, and arsenic per existent rankings, it could beryllium Scotland.
ICC sources had said connected Monday that autarkic hazard assessments, carried retired by internationally recognised information experts, bash not reason that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled T20 World Cup matches successful India, noting that the wide information hazard for the tourney successful India has been assessed arsenic debased to moderate, which is accordant with the illustration of galore large planetary sporting events.
The sources said the autarkic hazard assessments did not place immoderate circumstantial oregon nonstop menace to the Bangladesh team, its officials, oregon the lucifer venues successful India. They said based connected the nonrecreational proposal received, the hazard associated with Bangladesh's scheduled fixtures successful Kolkata and Mumbai is assessed arsenic debased to moderate, with nary denotation of risks that cannot beryllium efficaciously managed done established information readying and mitigation measures.
The sources said that ICC is alert of nationalist comments made successful caller days concerning the information of Bangladesh successful the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, including selective references to the ICC's information hazard assessment.
