Issuing a stern warning to the defiant Bangladesh Cricket Board (BGB), the ICC has named a replacement team based on current rankings in case Bangladesh sticks to its decision to not play in India. BCB's security concerns and request to shift matchesThe BCB has been adamant about its refusal to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. The board has requested that its matches be shifted from India, preferably to co-host Sri Lanka, where other teams like Ireland are playing all their group stage matches. The ICC has also rejected the BCB's proposal to switch groups with Ireland, which would have allowed Bangladesh to play all its group stage matches in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh is scheduled to play three of its group stage matches in Kolkata and a fourth in Mumbai, starting on the opening day, February 7.

Source: dna January 19, 2026 09:50 UTC