T20 World Cup 2026 Row: Shanto, Litton Expose BCB’s Communication Gap Amid Uncertainty

Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 participation is uncertain as the BCB refuses to play in India, pushing for Sri Lanka. Players, including captain Litton Das, remain in the dark. A group swap with Ireland is proposed; ICC decision pending.

Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup 2026 has been loomed with uncertainty, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yet to clearly communicate its stance to the players. The International Cricket Council (ICC) gave an ultimatum to the BCB to confirm its position by January 21.

However, Bangladesh Cricket was adamant on its stance to shift their group matches to Sri Lanka from India as both are co-hosts of the marquee event, which will begin on February 7. Bangladesh sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, reiterated that the national team would not travel to India under any circumstances, asserting that Bangladesh cannot be pressured into playing in India and would continue to press for its group stage matches to be shifted to co-host Sri Lanka.

Recently, the ICC official visited Dhaka to convince the Bangladesh Cricket Board to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, but the discussions ended without a breakthrough as both sides stuck to their positions rather than finding a common ground on a possible solution.

Bangladesh Players Kept in the Dark by BCB

The crisis over Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup participation began after the pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the IPL 2026 as per the instructionsby the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), apparently due to the ongoing religious and political tensions between India and Bangladesh. Then, Bangladesh responded by taking a firm stance against sending the team to India due to players’ welfare and security concerns.

However, the Bangladesh players seem not to have been informed by the board about their official status or the final decision regarding their participation in the upcoming edition of the tournament. The BCB internal deliberations remain opaque, with no formal communication and updates provided to the players. Leaving them uncertain and anxious as the marquee event approaches.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal warned the BCB that the decisions being taken over the national team’s participation at the T20 World Cup could have long-term consequences for Bangladesh cricket, urging the board to prioritize cricket more than ‘anything else’. This triggered an angry reaction from the BCB director, Nazmul Islam, who called Tamim ‘an Indian agent,

Islam’s remark sparked widespread outrage within the cricketing community, with the current and former players condemning the comment, and Bangladesh cricketers threatened to boycott the BPL and the T20 World Cup unless he resigned from the post. Eventually, the Bangladesh Cricket Board sacked Nazmul Ismal from his position to ease tension within the sport’s administration.

Litton Das Unsure over Bangladesh’s Participation

As the ICC deadline approached, Bangladesh T20I captain Litton Das confirmed that there has no official confirmation from the BCB whether the team will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 or not. Das further added that the whole of Bangladesh has been thrown into uncertainty over the team’s participation.

“You don't know, I don't know, we're on the same page. The World Cup is still a long way away. We're not even sure yet whether we'll go to the World Cup at all,” Litton Das said on the sidelines of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League.

“Everyone is playing the BPL, that is true, but if we had known who our group opponents were or which country we were going to, that would have helped. Until now, no player knows which country we will be playing in or who we will be playing against. Like me, the whole of Bangladesh is now in uncertainty,” he added.

Bangladesh has been clubbed in Group C alongside two-time champions West Indies, Italy, Nepal, and England. As per the schedule, Bangladesh will play three group stage matches at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata, and one match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

‘We Want to Play World Cup’

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is yet to provide clarity on the team’s participation, leaving players eager but uncertain. Speaking to the media, senior batter and former captain Najmul Hossain Shanto stated that the players are eager to play the World Cup as it’s a rare opportunity to represent their country on a global stage.

“As cricketers, we always want to play, and when it’s an event like the World Cup, of course, we want to be there. These tournaments don’t come often. World Cups are rare, especially the 50-over format, which comes every four years. I see it as a big opportunity for us to play good cricket.” Shanto said at the press conference on the sidelines of BPL.

“I don’t really know what is happening internally, so it’s difficult for me to comment. But as players, we definitely want to play,” he added.

Bangladesh Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul proposed to switch the team’s group with Ireland’s so that all of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches will be played in Sri Lanka rather than India, an idea discussed with the ICC but not yet accepted.

It remains to be seen whether the ICC will approve Bangladesh’s proposal to swap groups with Ireland, allowing the team to play in Sri Lanka, or insist on sticking tocthe original schedule of playing all their group stage matches in India.