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T20 World Cup 2026: Bangladesh Refuses to Play in India, ICC Faces Venue Relocation Crisis
Bangladesh T20 World Cup venue dispute: Amid the ongoing controversy over the venue for the 2026 T20 World Cup, Bangladesh has denied a visa to a senior Indian-origin official. This official was part of the ICC delegation that arrived in Dhaka to resolve the issue of India's refusal to play in India.
With only three weeks to go before the onset of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the issue of Bangladesh's insistence on a venue change is still making waves. Bangladesh is keen on shifting the venue for the matches following the exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. The International Cricket Council (ICC) insists that there is no issue with the safety of cricketers in India. Delegates from the ICC have landed in Dhaka to settle the issue of Bangladesh's reluctance to play in India, but this has also caused another controversy.
A senior official of the ICC of Indian origin had been part of the team of representatives sent to Bangladesh, but couldn’t make it as he lacked a visa from Bangladesh. This has meant that Andrew Ephgrave has had to travel alone to Bangladesh. Ephgrave is the ICC's Head of Anti-Corruption and Security.
Ephgrave now has the sole responsibility of negotiating with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the country's Sports Ministry. The situation is difficult, as the tournament begins on February 7th. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has made it clear that they will not cross the border to play their four group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. They are demanding that the team play the T20 World Cup 2026 only in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting with India.
Ephgrave's visit aims to convince Bangladesh that India can provide full security for their four group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. With the support of the Bangladesh government, the BCB has repeatedly refused to send the team to India. The ICC's visit was intended to calm the situation. Instead, the visa issue has revealed how tense the situation between India and Bangladesh has become.
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According to Bdnews24, Ephgrave is expected to present a detailed security plan outlining how the Bangladesh team will be kept safe in India and why the ICC believes there is no threat. He will meet not only with BCB officials but also with representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Bangladesh does not want to play matches in India due to its anti-India stance. However, the ICC, in consultation with the BCCI, previously spoke with both the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) about the possibility of hosting Bangladesh's group-stage games in Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram. Both associations have expressed their willingness to host the matches if necessary.
