ICC vs Bangladesh: 3 Possible Scenarios To Emerge From T20 World Cup Deadlock

The T20 World Cup 2026 controversy regarding Bangladesh's participation isn't showing signs of a quick resolution, and none of the involved parties are willing to make a compromise. According to recent media reports, the ICC has asked the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to convey its final decision regarding the T20 World Cup by Wednesday, 21 January. Reports suggest that if Bangladesh refuses to play the World Cup in India, Scotland might be given the opportunity to join the tournament in their place. During the last meeting, Bangladesh demanded a group change, moving from Group C to Group B, so they could play their matches in Sri Lanka.

Troubles Began with the Mustafizur-IPL Dispute

Following the Mustafizur Rahman-IPL controversy, Bangladesh has remained adamant about shifting their venue from India to Sri Lanka. This period has seen several disputes and rounds of talks between the ICC and the BCB. Citing security concerns following the Mustafizur-IPL row, the BCB refused to travel to India.

During this time, several current and former Bangladeshi players reacted angrily to comments made by board officials. One board official was issued a show-cause notice and subsequently had to resign. Consequently, media speculation has intensified.

'No Talks with Scotland'

According to a recent BBC report, the ICC has not made any contact with Cricket Scotland regarding this matter. Cricket Scotland officials have also stated they have not spoken to the ICC out of "respect for the Bangladesh Cricket Board."

Notably, in 2009, when the Zimbabwe team pulled out of the T20 World Cup held in England, Scotland was given the chance to participate.

Possible Scenarios for the T20 World Cup

In this evolving situation, a handful of options could emerge:

Option 1: Bangladesh Board Agrees - Prioritising the sport, Bangladesh could accept the ICC's terms with minor adjustments and agree to play in India, perhaps at venues like Kolkata or others.

Option 2: ICC Refuses to Budge - The ICC could reject the BCB's demands and choose not to host their matches, awarding points to the opposing teams instead. This happened during the 1996 World Cup when Australia and the West Indies refused to travel to Sri Lanka due to security concerns.

Option 3: Change of Groups - The ICC could concede to the BCB's demand to change groups. Bangladesh is currently in Group C, where all matches are scheduled in India. They wish to move to Group B, where matches are being held in Sri Lanka. However, deciding which team from Group B would be swapped out would not be an easy decision.

Tournament Groupings

Group C: Bangladesh, England, Italy, Nepal, West Indies

Group B: Australia, Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe

Group A: India, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan, USA

Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, UAE

Topics mentioned in this article

Bangladesh Cricket Team International Cricket Council Bangladesh Cricket Board T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket