The Bangladesh Cricket Board has made it clear that regardless of any assurances from the Indian board or the ICC about top-level security, the team will not travel to India. Photo: AFP
The International Cricket Council’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) has declined to hear Bangladesh’s appeal against the decision to stage the national men’s team’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches in India, leaving the door open for Scotland to replace them if the standoff persists.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had approached the ICC’s DRC in a last-ditch attempt to overturn a ruling by the ICC Board of Directors, which voted overwhelmingly to keep Bangladesh’s group matches in India following an independent security assessment. However, ICC officials said the appeal falls outside the committee’s remit and therefore cannot be entertained.
Bangladesh’s interim government has said the team will not travel to India, citing security concerns, a position reiterated by youth and sports adviser Asif Nazrul. The impasse escalated earlier this month after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders, a move that fuelled political and sporting tensions between the neighbouring countries.
An ICC source said the DRC, chaired by English lawyer Michael Beloff, is not an appeals body and has no authority to review decisions made by the ICC Board. Under the committee’s terms of reference, it cannot operate as a forum to challenge rulings passed by the governing body’s directors.
The ICC Board had voted 14–2 in favour of retaining Bangladesh’s fixtures in India, citing security findings that assessed the risk level as “low to moderate”. Despite that, Bangladeshi officials have maintained that the final call rests with the government rather than the BCB.
With the T20 World Cup 2026 set to begin on February 7, ICC officials have confirmed that Scotland, the highest-ranked team outside the qualification positions, have been placed on standby as a potential replacement should Bangladesh withdraw.
Sources said a formal announcement on Bangladesh’s status could be made within days, with ICC chairman Jay Shah now in Dubai holding consultations. The development threatens to plunge the global tournament into uncertainty, as political tensions, security concerns and cricketing governance collide just weeks before the event is due to begin.
