![Mustafizur Rahman for Bangladesh [Source: @Muslim_ITCell/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1767500897582_Mustafizur_Rahman_IPL_Row.jpg?type=hq)
Mustafizur Rahman for Bangladesh [Source: @Muslim_ITCell/X]
Bangladesh is set to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move its upcoming T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. Though not finalised, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is seeking clarity from IC over the Mustafizur Rahman row.
The move from BCB follows the directive for Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, which underlined the recently strained geopolitical relations between the two countries.
BCB to take action after Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL exit
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will express concerns to the ICC regarding player safety in Kolkata, the scheduled venue for their first three World Cup matches next month.
The decision came after an emergency BCB board meeting on Saturday. Media committee chairman Amzad Hussain stated, "We have three matches of the T20 World Cup in Kolkata, so we will write to the ICC regarding what has happened today."
Bangladesh's sports adviser, Asif Nazrul, confirmed the move, citing doubts over the team's security. He referenced the BCCI's citation of "recent developments" in removing Mustafizur.
"I have asked the BCB to explain the entire matter to the ICC. The board should inform that where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup. I have also instructed the Board to request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka," Nazrul wrote on Facebook.
Nazrul further said he requested Bangladesh's information ministry to stop broadcasting the IPL within the country.
Following the BCCI's instruction, KKR confirmed Mustafizur's release from their squad for the 2026 season, for which they had bought him for 9.2 crore rupees.
The development coincides awkwardly with the BCB's announcement on Friday of a 2026 home schedule featuring postponed white-ball matches against India.
Why Bangladesh is not feeling safe to play in India?
Bangladesh is scheduled to begin its T20 World Cup campaign against West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 7, with its remaining group matches set to be played in Mumbai.
However, recent developments have raised concerns in Bangladesh over the team’s safety while touring India, amid growing unease linked to the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman.
Tensions escalated in December after the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh, an incident that sparked strong reactions in India and led to rising dissent on social media.
The situation intensified further when several protesters and religious group leaders called for a boycott of Mustafizur Rahman in the IPL. With religious sentiments running high, the Bangladesh cricket team visiting India might be a gamble for safety in the T20 World Cup 2026.
