NEW DELHI: Sources within the International Cricket Council (ICC) have denied claims that security concerns could prevent the Bangladesh men’s team from travelling to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, clarifying that the cricket board’s risk assessments do not support such a conclusion.The clarification comes after Azif Nazrul, Bangladesh’s sports advisor, told reporters on Monday that the ICC’s security team had validated Dhaka’s concerns and warned of heightened risks for Bangladeshi players and supporters in India.
Nazrul claimed the ICC had flagged increased security threats if star left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman was included in the squad, if fans wore Bangladesh jerseys in public, and if the tournament coincided with Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections.Nazrul went further, arguing that these purported observations made it “unrealistic and unreasonable” for Bangladesh to participate in a World Cup hosted in India.In a detailed statement on Monday evening, however, an ICC source rejected that interpretation, saying some public comments had selectively referenced its security risk assessment and misrepresented routine contingency planning as concrete threats.“The ICC’s independent risk assessments, carried out by internationally recognised security experts, do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India,” said the source in the ICC. It added that the overall security risk for the tournament had been assessed as “low to moderate”, consistent with many major global sporting events.Also read: ‘If Mustafizur Rahman is in team’ – Bangladesh claims ICC flagged security risks in IndiaThe source further clarified, no specific or direct threat has been identified to the Bangladesh team, officials or match venues. The risk associated with Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai has also been assessed as low to moderate, with no indication of dangers that cannot be effectively managed through standard security planning.“The ICC wishes to be clear that it has never suggested, nor would it suggest, that any team should select or exclude players for security reasons, that supporters should be restricted from wearing national colours, or that domestic democratic processes be altered in order to participate in an ICC event,” the source explained.Tensions around Bangladesh’s participation escalated earlier this month after reports that the Bangladesh men’s team had decided not to travel to India for the 2026 tournament, citing safety concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board subsequently confirmed it had formally written to the ICC outlining its position, arguing that prevailing security issues made participation unfeasible if the event were held in India.The backdrop to the dispute also includes recent friction involving Mustafizur Rahman’s release from Kolkata Knight Riders squad ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season.Bangladesh are due to play three matches in India during the T20 World Cup, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. They are scheduled to take on West Indies, Italy and England on February 7, 9 and 14, respectively. Bangladesh are then due to take on Nepal in their last league stage game on February 17.