The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has refuted claims that the International Cricket Council (ICC) imposed a January 21 deadline for them to decide on participating in the T20 World Cup in India. According to the BCB, no specific date was communicated by the ICC regarding a final decision. The BCB has reiterated its request for an alternative venue for its matches, citing security concerns and national pride.

Amjad Hossain, a BCB director, clarified the details of the meeting held with an ICC representative on January 17. During the meeting, the BCB delegation conveyed its position that they were unable to play at the specified venues in India and requested an alternative venue. Hossain stated that the ICC representative said they would inform the ICC about the matters discussed and communicate the decision to the BCB later. However, the representative did not mention any specific date or timeline for when the decision would be communicated.

Reports had surfaced earlier, suggesting that the ICC had given Bangladesh until January 21 to confirm their participation in the T20 World Cup, with the possibility of being replaced by another team if they refused to travel to India. Some reports indicated that Scotland could be the replacement team based on current rankings.

The ongoing dispute has persisted for weeks without a resolution. The BCB's reluctance to play in India stems from security concerns and national pride, particularly after Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the 2026 IPL. The BCB has formally requested the ICC to relocate Bangladesh's matches to Sri Lanka, one of the tournament's co-hosts.

The ICC, however, appears reluctant to alter the schedule, which has already been finalized. The schedule includes Bangladesh playing group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. The ICC has assured the BCB that India poses no specific security threats to the Bangladesh team. Independent risk assessments conducted by security experts also suggest that the overall security risk for the tournament in India is low to moderate, consistent with other major global sporting events. These assessments did not identify any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team, its officials, or the match venues in India.

Despite the ICC's assurances, the BCB remains firm in its stance. The ICC did not agree to swap Bangladesh and Ireland's groups, which would have allowed Bangladesh to play its opening games in Sri Lanka. The situation remains unresolved, with the T20 World Cup scheduled to begin on February 7. If Bangladesh refuses to send its team to India, the ICC is likely to name a replacement, potentially Scotland.