- ICC sent BCB email on Friday informing them of decision: report.
- PCB chief terms ICC’s decision regarding Bangladesh “unfair”.
- Bangladesh Cricket Board wants to take issue to ICC’s DRC: report.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 over Dhaka’s refusal to send team to India for the mega event, ESPNcricinfo reported on Saturday.
The report further said that ICC sent BCB an email on Friday evening informing them of the decision, after the BCB communicated that the Bangladesh government had not granted permission to travel to India for the tournament scheduled to begin on February 7.
Citing its communication with the ICC on Thursday, the report said BCB said it wanted to take the issue to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC).
Bangladesh have refused to play their matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbours, and demanded to play them in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, instead.
Earlier this week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh’s demand to shift their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup outside India, the governing body said on Wednesday.
“The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India,” the ICC said in a statement after a board meeting.
“The ICC board noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events…”
PCB opposes Bangladesh’s exclusion
Meanwhile, speaking to the media today, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will take decision in line with the Government of Pakistan’s direction.
“Prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif] is currently not in the country. We will announce the final decision after he [PM] returns to the country,” Naqvi, who is also the chairman of PCB, said while responding to a question related to what would be Pakistan’s stance on ICC decision regarding Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. I said the same in the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC). You cannot have double standards, where one country can make whatever decision whenever and do the total opposite for another country,” Naqvi continued.
“That is why we have taken the stand that Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and should be allowed to play the World Cup in any case. They are a major stakeholder, and this injustice should not be done,” he added.
Naqvi further called out BCCI’s influence in ICC’s decision-making, stating “one country cannot dictate another” and warned Pakistan would take a stance if the dictation was attempted.
“The thing is that Bangladesh is the same member as Pakistan. And our stance is that if you have done this favour with Pakistan and India, then you should do the same with Bangladesh,” he said.
“The main reason for this is that one country cannot dictate another. And if this dictation is attempted, then Pakistan definitely has its own stance,” he said.
“Bangladesh is a major stakeholder and it should be made part of the tournament,” he added.
