The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) request to relocate their T20 World Cup matches from India, issuing a firm directive: participate in India or face forfeiting points. This decision follows the BCB's formal appeal to the ICC to shift their matches to an alternative venue, specifically Sri Lanka, citing "safety and security" concerns for their players.

The BCB's request stemmed from growing tensions between India and Bangladesh, exacerbated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to direct the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to terminate the IPL contract of Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The BCB perceived this action as a sign of disrespect towards Bangladeshi cricket, further fueling concerns about the team's safety in India.

Bangladesh's law minister, Asif Nazrul, voiced strong opposition, stating, "We won't stand for any insult to Bangladesh's cricket, cricketers, and the country. The days of slavery are over," and argued that the national team could not be expected to feel safe if a Bangladeshi player was not allowed to fulfill a professional contract in India. Nazrul instructed the BCB to propose Sri Lanka as an alternative venue.

The ICC, however, has found no actionable security inputs to support Bangladesh's concerns. During a virtual meeting with BCB representatives, the ICC stated that it has no assessment indicating any specific or credible threat to the Bangladesh team while playing in India. Consequently, the global body sees no basis to alter the tournament schedule or venues.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC is likely to request that Bangladesh reconsider its decision and adhere to the existing schedule. The ICC's stance is driven by concerns that last-minute changes could disrupt logistics for such a large-scale event. Securing venues, accommodation, and logistics in Sri Lanka at short notice would be challenging.

Bangladesh is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. Their campaign is set to begin against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, followed by matches against Italy on February 9 and England on February 14, also in Kolkata. Their group-stage fixtures are scheduled to conclude against Nepal at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on February 17.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the venues, the BCB has announced a 15-member squad for the tournament, with Litton Kumar Das named as captain.

The ICC's firm stance leaves the BCB with a difficult decision: comply with the original schedule and play in India or face the consequences of forfeiting crucial points in the T20 World Cup.