ICC Ultimatum To Bangladesh: Decide On T20 World Cup Participation By Jan 21 Or Risk Removal, Says Council - Report

In the latest update to their ongoing dialogue, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to decide on its participation in the T20 World Cup in India by January 21 or "risk being replaced by another team" in the tournament, which starts on February 7.

After all the back and forth between the global governing body and the cricket board, no solution seems to have been found as yet to the crisis that was triggered by the release of Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the 2026 Indian Premier League on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's instructions.

"The BCB officials have been told to decide on the participation by January 21. If they refuse to travel to India, then they should be ready to be replaced by another team as per rankings," a PTI report quoted an ICC source as saying.

Citing security concerns and national pride, the BCB has announced that its national team won't be travelling to India for its group-stage matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.

But with the event schedule already finalised, the ICC is reluctant to shift Bangladesh's games to co-host Sri Lanka, where the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash will be held as per the mutually agreed arrangement for ICC events till 2027.

If Bangladesh continue to be unyielding, the replacement team would likely be Scotland, based on current rankings. Bangladesh, currently placed in Group C along with the West Indies, Italy, England and Nepal, are scheduled to play three leagues games in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.

Bangladesh's Group Stage Schedule

West Indies: February 7, Kolkata

Italy: February 9, Kolkata

England: February 14, Kolkata

Nepal: February 17, Mumbai

The BCB has remained adamant on either a change of venue or a change of groups to facilitate its games in Sri Lanka.

In their previous meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka, the BCB had proposed that Bangladesh be swapped with Ireland in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe.

Such a move would allow the team to be based completely in Sri Lanka for all its league engagements.

"...the possibility of moving Bangladesh to a different group as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical adjustments was discussed," the BCB had stated after the meeting on Saturday.

While the board considers it unsafe for its players to travel to India, ICC's risk assessment report does not flag any specific or direct threat to the team if it participates in the tournament.

Bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated with the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto have warned against a hard-line approach on the controversial subject, with the former saying that decisions taken today would have repercussions 10 years down the line.

(With PTI inputs)