Bangladesh's Hindu Captain Litton Das Breaks Silence On T20 World Cup Row

Bangladesh cricket team skipper Litton Das avoided answering a question related to the T20 World Cup 2026 controversy, stating that it is not safe for him to do so. With around two weeks to go before the competition, Bangladesh's participation remains unclear amid a stand-off with the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested that the ICC shift their matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing "security concerns." However, the ICC seems reluctant to accept the request, and multiple meetings have not yet yielded any results.

Speaking after a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match on Tuesday, Litton was asked about the surfaces available during the tournament and whether they helped in preparation for the World Cup. The Bangladesh skipper hinted at the uncertainty regarding their participation, noting that they were not even sure whether the team would take part in the competition.

"Are you sure we are going to play the World Cup? From my side, I am uncertain; everyone is uncertain. I think the whole of Bangladesh is uncertain at this moment. No answer. I understand what question you are going to ask. That is not safe for me. No answer," said Litton.

Earlier, the Bangladesh government's sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, reiterated that under no condition would the national team travel to India for the T20 World Cup, despite an ultimatum from the ICC to the BCB to decide on their participation by January 21.

If the BCB remains adamant about not traveling to India for the 20-team tournament, Scotland is likely to replace Bangladesh as per current rankings.

"I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place. If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions," Nazrul told reporters.

"In the past, there are examples where Pakistan said they would not travel to India and the ICC changed the venue. We have asked to change the venue on logical grounds, and we cannot be coerced into playing in India by illogical pressure," he added.

(With PTI inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Bangladesh Cricket Team Litton Das Bangladesh Cricket Board BCCI International Cricket Council T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket