Mustafizur-IPL row: BCB awaits ICC’s reply on T20 WC venue change request, says ‘no communication with BCCI’

After Bangladesh’s interim government imposed an indefinite ban on IPL’s telecast in the country following ‘what transpired over the past weekend,’ their cricket board (BCB) said they await ICC’s reply on their T20 World Cup venue change request in the latest development. With the 20-team tournament starting in almost a month, the BCB has written to the ICC to move their league stage venues (from India to Sri Lanka), citing security concerns.

Owing to the ongoing chaos in Bangladesh and regular attacks on the minorities, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) directed the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release the only Bangladeshi player picked at the December 2025 player auction – seamer Mustafizur Rahman (for INR 9.2 crore), leading to widespread anger among the fans back home. Irked by BCCI’s call to release the cricketer, and more so for not providing a proper explanation behind it, the BCB held back-to-back meetings over the weekend, reverting with harsh calls, including deciding against travelling to India for the marquee ICC event.

“You know that we, along with all the directors of the cricket board, held two meetings before taking this decision, and at this moment we do not feel secure sending our team to India to play the World Cup,” the BCB president Aminul Islam told reporters on Monday (Jan 5).

“So, we wrote a letter to the ICC, and in the letter we clearly stated what we wanted to say. Because to us, security appeared to be a major concern, and that is what we are following. We have sent an email to the ICC, and we are expecting them to tell us to have a meeting with them soon, where we will express our concern," he added.

He also stressed that BCB will decide on the next course of action depending on ICC’s reply to their venue change request.

“But what our next step will be depends on the reply to the email we have sent. We do not know what feedback will come (from ICC), but the clauses we have given are within the MPO. We are not communicating with BCCI because this is an ICC event. We are communicating with the ICC,” he continued.

‘Bilateral and security concerns for an ICC event are two different things’

Last Friday, the BCB confirmed the home season for this year, including hosting India for the white-ball series in September. However, the developments over the weekend changed the dynamics, as the BCB feels 'unsafe' about sending its team to India for the T20 World Cup starting February 7.

Now, amid the standoff, speculations of India being reluctant to tour Bangladesh (for this postponed series from 2025) have grown significantly. Commenting on its possibility, Aminul said bilaterals and (security concerns) around an ICC event are two different things.

“Look, cricket between the two countries (the relationship between India and Bangladesh), like playing a bilateral series or playing in the World Cup, is one thing, and security concern is another matter. So for now, we are thinking about the World Cup issue (security).”