Two-member ICC team reportedly aiming to dispel BCB's security concerns
Bangladesh government officials expected to take part in the talks
ICC anti-corruption unit head to also visit Dhaka to delve deeper into match-fixing allegations
A two-member team of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will reportedly land in Dhaka on Saturday (January 17, 2026) to resolve the impasse around Bangladesh's participation in the T20 World Cup in India, hoping to dispel the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) security concerns.
The board has been asking ICC to shift its World Cup matches, scheduled to be held in Kolkata and Mumbai, on the basis of a perceived security threat to its players. But the global governing body has already indicated that a change of venue is impractical.
BCB raised this demand after Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman was abruptly released from his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, following an instruction from the Indian cricket board (BCCI).
"Yes, that's the information (ICC officials' visit to Dhaka) at the moment. Discussions are going on at the moment, and all possible ways to handle the situation will be discussed. We expect Bangladesh government officials to also take part in the talks," a PTI report quoted a source privy to the development as saying.
The source added that BCB has already conveyed its apprehensions to the ICC in a recent video conference, particularly with regard to playing in Mumbai. Bangladesh are scheduled to take on Nepal in their final Group C match at the Wankhede Stadium on February 17.
The board is said to have told the ICC that remarks by a few Indian politicians from Mumbai could be considered as a threat to its players' security. The report added that the BCB source indicated the possibility of discussions on moving the matches to a different Indian city, possibly to the southern parts, or to Sri Lanka. Further, the parley might take place at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka.
But the ICC was firm in its view that such hypothetical scenarios could not be viewed as a strong reason to shift the venues of matches, the report stated. In its own security assessment of the marquee event, the ICC had placed the threat perception at low to moderate -- a regular norm during such events.
The Bangladesh side, the report goes on, will again raise the point of Mustafizur's dropping from the IPL to reinforce its claims of security threats to its players in India, along with the recent spate of anti-Bangladesh protests in various parts of the country.
But the ICC is apparently unlikely to move away from its stance that last-minute venue changes will set an unwanted precedent and other member nations too can come up with such demands in the future, which can pose significant challenges to an already-published schedule.
The governing body will also supposedly try to convince Bangladesh of the tight security measures which will be in place during the World Cup.
Bangladesh's Group Stage Schedule
West Indies: February 7, Kolkata
Italy: February 9, Kolkata
England: February 14, Kolkata
Nepal: February 17, Mumbai
ICC Anti-Corruption Head In Dhaka
Meanwhile, the report added that Andrew Ephgrave, the anti-corruption unit head of the ICC, too will be in Dhaka to delve deeper into the incident of nine local players getting suspended by BCB for their alleged involvement in match-fixing.
The players were expected to feature in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League. The issue was raised during a press conference held by the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh on Thursday, and ICC deemed that the issue should be looked into more closely.
(With PTI inputs)
