ICC issues January 21 ultimatum to Bangladesh; refusal to tour India means new team for T20 World Cup

ICC ultimatum to BCB: The ICC has ended the ongoing stalemate by issuing an ultimatum to the BCB until January 21. If they do not agree to come to India, then Scotland, the next highest-ranked team, will take their place.

ICC ultimatum to BCB: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has dealt a major blow to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which is refusing to play the T20 World Cup 2026 in India. The ICC has given the BCB a final ultimatum of January 21 to end a deadlock of nearly three weeks. According to reports, the ICC has clearly stated that if Bangladesh insists on its demand, the global body will be forced to include Scotland, the next highest-ranked team, in the T20 World Cup in its place.

No Specific Threat to Any Visiting Team in India

In fact, a second meeting in Dhaka on Saturday saw no softening in the BCB's stance. It once again told ICC officials that due to security concerns and political sensitivities, Bangladesh wants to play the tournament only in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the ICC reiterated that there will be no change to the schedule announced months ago and that there is no specific threat to any visiting team in India.

No Room for Change!

A report by ESPNcricinfo now states that with only three weeks left for the tournament to begin, the ICC's patience has run out. Bangladesh is scheduled to play its first match against West Indies in Kolkata on February 7. Following this, it has two more matches at Eden Gardens and its final group stage match in Mumbai. Considering the logistical and commercial issues, the ICC sees no scope for a late change, especially when there is no security threat in India.

All Bangladesh Proposals Rejected

One of the BCB's latest proposals was to swap groups with Ireland so that Bangladesh could play all its matches in Sri Lanka, but this too was rejected. Cricket Ireland confirmed that it has received firm assurances from the ICC that there will be no changes to its schedule.

'No Direct Risk'

It is worth noting that an independent security assessment shared with all 20 teams classified the overall threat level in India as medium to high, similar to previous global events. However, no direct risk to Bangladesh was identified. The ICC has stated this repeatedly, yet the BCB, with the support of the Bangladesh government, remains firm on its stance. It remains to be seen whether Bangladesh softens its position or if Scotland takes its place.