Amid growing strain in bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh following the recent killing of a Hindu man in that country, questions have arisen over the security of the Bangladesh team and the venues for their matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Bangladesh's matches in India are slated to take place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
International cricket matches typically operate under heightened and tightly monitored security protocols and both venues have a strong track record of hosting high-profile international fixtures.
Eden Gardens successfully staged Pakistan's matches during the 2023 ODI World Cup and the Kolkata police, in particular, have consistently delivered during high profile cricket matches.
Security measures at the Wankhede have also always been top notch.
So far, neither the BCCI nor the ICC has issued any statement regarding the scheduling of Bangladesh's T20 WC matches against the backdrop of the current tensions.
On Saturday, amid mounting pressure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India asked the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026.
On Friday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board released its packed international calendar for 2026, confirming that Bangladesh will host India for a limited overs series later in the year.
The itinerary includes three ODIs and three T20Is, scheduled between August and September 2026, effectively replacing an identical series that was supposed to take place in 2025 but was postponed indefinitely.
In July last year, India's tour of Bangladesh was called off, with the six match white-ball series deferred by more than a year.
However, the BCCI remains non-committal on the revised schedule and is unlikely to agree to it given the volatile political situation in Bangladesh.
Relations between the two countries hit a rough patch following the ouster of then Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 after widespread anti-government protests. She was sentenced to death in absentia last year by a tribunal for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.
Dhaka summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma five times over various issues, while India summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Reaz Hamidullah once to convey concerns over security conditions in Bangladesh.
The transition from what was widely regarded as an 'India-friendly' Awami League government to a Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration significantly altered Bangladesh's diplomatic posture. Dhaka's efforts to deepen engagement with Pakistan further complicated the regional equation.
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