Bangladesh dealt a major blow before T20 World Cup as ICC devises new plan

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had requested the ICC to shift its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. Now, BCB's hopes appear to have been dealt a major blow, as the ICC is reportedly making new plans to shift its matches, but the venues will not be in Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh T20 World Cup Matches New Venues: The controversy that erupted after the exclusion of Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL is not abating. Bangladesh is adamant about its demand to host its T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka instead of India. With the tournament set to begin in about three weeks, it is still undecided whether the Bangladesh team will come to India to play its scheduled matches. According to the latest reports, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has suffered a major setback. It is being reported that the ICC (International Cricket Council) is looking for other venues within India.

Preparations to Shift to Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram

According to a Cricbuzz report, the ICC is looking for other venues, but they will be in India, not Sri Lanka. The hosts of the T20 World Cup, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), have spoken with the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). The option of shifting Bangladesh's matches to Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram is being considered.

TNCA and KCA Express Willingness to Host Matches

The report further states that the TNCA and KCA have expressed their willingness to host the matches. Chepauk is already a World Cup venue and is scheduled to host seven matches, including a potential Super 8 match between India and Australia. It is believed that TNCA officials have informed the ICC and BCCI that they would have no problem hosting Bangladesh's matches, as they have eight pitches available.

Current Schedule

As per the current schedule, Bangladesh is slated to play three matches at Kolkata's Eden Gardens against the West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9), and England (February 14). Following this, they are scheduled to play one match against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.

Awaiting Formal Response

It is worth noting that the ICC has not yet given a formal response to Bangladesh and may do so on Monday, January 12. Even after that, the possibility of the ICC accepting the BCB's demand and shifting the matches to Sri Lanka seems slim, as moving matches to another location just before the tournament begins on February 7 would present logistical challenges.