ICC Firm Stance Forces Bangladesh Board to Soften on T20 World Cup in India

• Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) initially refused to play 2026 T20 World Cup matches in India citing security concerns.
• ICC informed BCB in a virtual meeting that matches would not be moved from India and non-participation would result in loss of points.
• BCB claims ICC did not issue an ultimatum, but had already requested matches be moved to Sri Lanka.
• Despite initial strong stance, BCB's tone has reportedly softened, appealing to ICC for reconsideration.
• The 20-team T20 World Cup will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, with Bangladesh's matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Why It Matters: ICC's firm stance compels Bangladesh Board to play T20 World Cup matches in India.