&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Welcome in India’: Harbhajan Singh reacts to Bangladesh seeking venue change for T20 World Cup 2026")
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has weighed in on the growing controversy around Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested that their matches be moved out of India due to safety concerns. Speaking on the issue, Harbhajan made it clear that India is open to hosting all teams but stressed that the final call rests with the ICC and Bangladesh themselves.
“Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong, “ICC needs to decide on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they want to come here or not is their choice.” Singh was quoted as saying to ANI.
The comments come amid rising tension between the BCCI and BCB, which has spilt over into diplomatic and broadcasting matters. On Monday, the BCB formally wrote to the ICC requesting that all of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka. The tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, starting on February 7.
The request followed an emergency board meeting in Bangladesh after interim government Youth and Sports Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul advised against sending the national team to India under the current situation. In a strong response, Bangladesh has also suspended the broadcast of IPL 2026 matches in the country until further notice.
The standoff was triggered by the BCCI instructing Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad, despite the pacer being bought for a record Rs 9.20 crore. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia cited “recent developments” as the reason, adding that KKR would be allowed to sign a replacement.
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Since then, the situation has escalated quickly. India’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh in September has been put on hold, while the BCCI has reportedly rejected the idea of shifting World Cup venues, calling it a major logistical challenge.
Bangladesh were originally scheduled to play four group-stage matches in India, including games at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With the World Cup just weeks away, the ICC now faces a tough decision. If Bangladesh’s request is approved, they will join Pakistan as the second team not playing their matches in India during the tournament.
