ICC Mulls Action Against Bangladesh Over Possible T20 World Cup Pullout: Report

Amid a failed last-minute bid to overturn the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to hold Bangladesh’s group matches of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, a fresh media report has claimed that ICC chairman Jay Shah is considering strict action if Bangladesh withdraws from the tournament.

According to news agency ANI, Shah is currently in Dubai, where a final decision on the issue is expected to be taken.

Tensions escalated after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad amid rising regional concerns. The move triggered a strong reaction in Bangladesh, with the government subsequently banning the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the country.

Soon after, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wrote to the ICC seeking a change of venue for their T20 World Cup group matches, citing security concerns. As per the tournament schedule, Bangladesh are slated to play their group games in Kolkata and Mumbai.

The ICC rejected the request following an independent security assessment that rated the threat level as “low to moderate.” The ICC Board of Directors later voted 14–2 in favour of retaining Bangladesh’s matches in India.

As reported by PTI, the BCB then approached the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) in an attempt to overturn the decision. However, Clause 1.3 of the DRC’s Terms of Reference makes it clear that the committee cannot act as an appellate authority against decisions taken by the ICC or its authorised bodies.

Consequently, the DRC declined to hear Bangladesh’s plea, ruling that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction under ICC by-laws.

The report further claimed that a formal announcement regarding Bangladesh’s potential replacement at the World Cup is expected by Saturday.

“The ICC Board members are extremely unhappy with Aminul Islam Bulbul for holding a press conference before informing the global body. Asif Nazrul is a persona non grata for the ICC, but Bulbul should not have allowed a press conference without first communicating with the ICC,” a source told PTI.