Overview:
Bangladesh are in Group C, alongside the West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal, with their matches scheduled to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The ongoing debate surrounding Bangladesh‘s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 reached a new development as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) put forward an unexpected proposal to the International Cricket Council (ICC). In a meeting held on Saturday, the BCB requested that their group be swapped with Ireland’s, ensuring that Bangladesh play their group matches in Sri Lanka. This move aligns with Bangladesh’s earlier plea to relocate their entire World Cup fixtures from India.
However, Cricket Ireland (CI) responded firmly, stating they had received ‘definitive assurances’ that their schedule would remain unchanged. They confirmed that all of their World Cup fixtures would take place in Sri Lanka as planned.
“We’ve been given firm guarantees that our schedule will remain unchanged. We will certainly be playing the Group Stage in Sri Lanka,” a Cricket Ireland official stated to Cricbuzz.
Ireland are in Group B, where they will face Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Oman. Meanwhile, Bangladesh are in Group C, alongside the West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal, with their matches scheduled to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The BCB had previously informed the ICC that they were not prepared to make the trip to India for the T20 World Cup.
“The BCB reaffirmed its official request to the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka. The Board also conveyed the concerns and perspectives of the Bangladesh government regarding the safety and security of the team, fans, media, and other stakeholders.”
The discussions were held in a constructive, friendly, and professional manner, with all parties openly addressing the key issues. One of the topics explored was the option of relocating Bangladesh to a different group to minimize logistical challenges,” read the official press release from the BCB.