Is Bangladesh Cricket Team Out of T20 World Cup 2026 After India Ban Row?

The countdown for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has begun as the tournament is around the corner. The mega event will take place in India and Sri Lanka and will run from 7 February to 8 March across different venues in these two nations. The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently announced the schedule for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, and it will see some of the best cricket teams in the world fighting for the title. Although the tournament is still some time away, there have been some concerns related to the tournament.

There are concerns related to the Bangladesh Cricket Team playing the T20 World Cup 2026. This is because due to the political tensions between India and Bangladesh. This has also hampered the cricketing ties between the two nations. Earlier this year, India was supposed to play against Bangladesh, but the series got postponed as well. The political tensions between the two nations have escalated big time, and there have been a lot of concerns about the same, as well as related to the T20 World Cup 2026.

Will Bangladesh Play T20 World Cup 2026?

Due to the political tensions, Bangladesh has stopped issuing visas for Indian nationals. In politics, tit for tat is common, and it is expected that Indians might also do the same, and the Bangladesh cricket ban will be on the cards as well. If India also restricts visas, the players simply can’t enter India, and Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup will be in jeopardy. This becomes one of the major talking points ahead of the tournament.

If that happens, then ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will have to think of something new. They have an option to stage the match in Sri Lanka. Since Pakistan is also set to play their games in Sri Lanka, there are chances that Bangladesh will play there too. Due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan, the two teams don’t play a bilateral series. Also, they have adopted the hybrid model for the ICC and the ACC events, which means that they play at neutral venues in the multi-nation events. This could be the same case while playing against Bangladesh as well in the future.

Mustafizur Rahman IPL in Doubt?

The same can be the case for Bangladesh now, because if India bans visas, then they will have to play their games in Sri Lanka. Recently, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) also roped in Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9+ crore. But if India restricts visas, then he won’t be able to play, meaning that KKR will face a big blow. They will have to look for a replacement, as there is no possibility of him playing in the league if the visas are banned by India.