The ICC has claimed that the security team hasn't written any letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, validating their safety concerns about travelling to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. Azif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government’s sports advisor, told reporters on Monday, January 12 that the ICC had validated their concerns and said that the Bangladesh fans will face a security threat in India.
However, Nazrul's anti-India propaganda has fallen flat as sources within ICC refuted the claims and said that the governing body will be issuing an official statement on the matter in the coming days. The Bangladesh government sports advisor claimed that the security team responded to them and claimed that the sport's governing body admitted that the security of the fans and players will increase if Mustafizur Rahman is in the side, and if the fans roam around in Bangladesh jerseys.
He also pointed out that security threat will further increase as the elections are set to happen in Bangladesh.
"We have sent two letters (to the ICC), after which the ICC security team have sent a letter," Nazrul, effectively the country's sports head, said on Monday. "They have said that if three things happen, the security threat of the Bangladesh team (in India) will increase. One, if Mustafiz [Mustafizur Rahman] is included in the Bangladesh team. Two, if the supporters of the Bangladesh team roam around in the national jersey of Bangladesh, which is our national jersey. Three, the security threat of the Bangladesh team will increase as the (Bangladesh) elections approach.
"So this statement of the ICC security team has proven beyond a doubt that there is no situation for the Bangladesh cricket team to play the T20 World Cup in India. If the ICC expects us to make a cricket team without our best bowler, our supporters will not be able to wear the Bangladesh jersey, and we will postpone the Bangladesh elections to play cricket, then there can be no more bizarre, unrealistic and unreasonable expectation than this," said Nazrul to the reporters, as quoted by ESPN.
The Bangladesh men’s team decided not to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, following the recent tensions linked to Mustafizur Rahman’s premature release from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ setup ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
According to the BCB, the call has been taken primarily on safety grounds. The board formally communicated its position to the ICC, explaining that prevailing security issues make it unfeasible for the national side to participate in the tournament if it is held in India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board sent a follow-up letter to the ICC on January 8, detailing its security-related apprehensions about travelling to India for the T20 World Cup and once again pressing for the tournament to be shifted to Sri Lanka. BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul revealed on January 9 that they're yet to receive a word from ICC about their concerns.
