What Happens if Bangladesh Does Not Play T20 World Cup 2026?

On January 4, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it will not allow its players to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled in the first week of February, stating concerns over player safety. This move came in after a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to part ways with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

Mustafizur, who was picked up by the three-time IPL champions for ₹9.20 crore at last month’s mini-auction, has since been dropped from KKR’s IPL 2026 plans. The BCCI was also under immense pressure after receiving backlash from certain political figures and religious organisations in India, who targeted franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan due to tensions between India and Bangladesh. So, Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 participation is under scrutiny, and the final decision is still awaited.

Will Bangladesh Play in India During T20 World Cup 2026?

After the recent tensions, a question arose will Bangladesh play in India during this tournament. After Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the IPL, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken the matter to the ICC, urging the body to shift all of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixtures away from India. They are placed in Group C and were originally scheduled to play three games at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, which is the oldest cricket stadiums in India.

Bangladesh have fixtures against Italy, England and the West Indies, along with one match against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Sri Lanka is co-hosting the tournament, while Pakistan have already been allotted Sri Lankan venues for all their matches due to the agreement between BCCI and PCB.

However, the fans are wondering will Bangladesh play T20 World Cup 2026. With the tournament less than a month away, any changes to the existing schedule pose a major challenge for the ICC. A reshuffle would trigger major logistical problems, from international travel arrangements to accommodation bookings for full squads and support staff.

What Will Happen If ICC Rejects Bangladesh Cricket Board's Plea?

The T20 World Cup 2026 will consist of some of the best cricket teams in the world. It is not just about one nation, but these changes will also affect their opponents and the overall tournament planning. As the responsibility now rests with the ICC, it will most likely reject the BCB's request for a change in venues, considering all these complex factors.

• If the ICC rejects the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s appeal, Bangladesh could be forced to sit out the T20 World Cup for the first time ever. If such a situation arises, it would leave the 2026 edition with only 19 participating teams, resulting in automatic points for England, Nepal, Italy and the West Indies in Group C due to walkovers.
• The ICC could, however, explore an alternative by adding a replacement side. This solution has been used previously by the board at the 2009 T20 World Cup. Scotland were brought in after Zimbabwe withdrew from the tournament. A similar move was seen ahead of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, when Ireland stepped in for Australia just over three weeks before the tournament began.

There is another such example during the 1996 ODI World Cup, when both Australia and the West Indies declined to tour Sri Lanka, stating security concerns, leading to Sri Lanka being awarded walkovers in those matches. So, if ICC rejects the BCB's plea for a change in venues, then either Bangladesh will forfeit, and their opponents will get walkover points, or they could bring in a new team as their replacement.