The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially stepped into the growing controversy surrounding venues for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, extending its support to Bangladesh and formally communicating its position to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to reports, the PCB sent a detailed email to the ICC earlier this week, endorsing the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to relocate its World Cup fixtures away from India. Bangladesh has raised persistent security concerns and has urged the ICC to consider alternative venues, most notably Sri Lanka, which is set to co-host the tournament alongside India.
The PCB’s correspondence was reportedly shared with other ICC Board members as well, highlighting Pakistan’s alignment with Bangladesh’s stance. While it is not confirmed whether Pakistan’s intervention directly led to the ICC scheduling an emergency Board meeting, the timing has added further weight to the issue, which continues to dominate cricketing discussions.
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Despite the pressure, the ICC has so far shown no willingness to revise the tournament schedule. The global governing body has repeatedly communicated to the BCB that Bangladesh’s matches will proceed in India as originally planned. This firm position has only deepened the deadlock between the two sides.
Over the past week, several rounds of talks have taken place between the ICC and Bangladesh officials. These discussions included high-level meetings in Dhaka, yet no breakthrough has been achieved. Bangladesh remains adamant that it cannot send its national team to India under the current circumstances, while the ICC maintains that logistical and commercial commitments prevent any last-minute venue changes.
An informal deadline of January 21 was reportedly set to resolve the dispute, with the tournament drawing closer. However, with both parties holding their ground, the issue is expected to feature prominently in the upcoming ICC Board meeting.
The impasse has also triggered speculation about contingency plans. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that Pakistan may have offered to host Bangladesh’s matches if relocation becomes unavoidable, although no official statement has been issued by either the PCB or the ICC on this matter.
The origins of the standoff trace back to a decision involving the Indian Premier League (IPL). Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was reportedly removed from his IPL 2026 franchise after instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The move sparked strong backlash in Bangladesh, eventually prompting government-level statements indicating that the national team would not travel to India for the World Cup.
As tensions persist, the cricketing world now awaits the ICC’s next move. With Pakistan publicly backing Bangladesh and the tournament timeline tightening, the outcome of the ICC Board meeting could prove decisive in shaping the final structure of the T20 World Cup 2026.
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