Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to approach the ICC seeking a change of venue for its matches during the Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The BCB’s decision is a direct response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directive asking Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to void pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s contract for the IPL 2026, news agency IANS reported citing a media report. The BCCI on Saturday reportedly put on hold a scheduled tour of Bangladesh in 2026, which was only recently announced by the BCB.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. They are also set to face Nepal on February 17 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The move comes after the BCCI did not allow Mustafizur to play in India following demands raised by some groups over the killing of Hindus by mobs in Bangladesh. The BCB has now expressed concerns about the safety of its players in India and has therefore sought a change in venues for its World Cup matches.
A senior BCB official told Telecom Asia Sport that the board plans to take the matter to the ICC after the BCCI’s decision, as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.
‘We will be putting the ball in ICC’s court,’ says BCB official
“We will be putting the ball in ICC’s court,” the official told Telecom Asia Sport, confirming that the board will urgently request a change of venue for Bangladesh’s scheduled World Cup matches in Kolkata (against West Indies, Italy and England) and Mumbai (against Nepal), “if we feel security is a concern as players’ safety is our priority,” the official said.
The official added that the BCB will raise the T20 World Cup issue with the ICC at the earliest and noted that Pakistan has also decided not to play in India after India refused to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told IANS that KKR had been instructed to release Mustafizur because of the situation in Bangladesh.
“BCCI has instructed KKR to release Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. BCCI will allow them to pick any replacement player of their choice,” Saikia said.
KKR confirms pacer’s exit, allowed to name replacement
Kolkata Knight Riders, which is owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, later confirmed Mustafizur’s release.
“Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI or IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season. The release has been carried out following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders a replacement player in line with IPL regulations, and further details will be communicated in due course,” the franchise said in a statement.
Mustafizur, who is 30 years old, was picked by KKR at the most recent mini-auction for Rs 92 million ($1.1 million), making it the highest amount ever paid for a Bangladeshi player in IPL history.