New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS)The International Cricket Council (ICC) has played down concerns over Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has found "no specific or unmanageable risk" to the Bangladesh cricket team amid the ongoing Mustafizur Rahman situation.

The independent reviews conducted by the ICC have determined that there is an overall assessment of low to moderate levels of risk regarding the event in India and that no specific or direct threats exist for the Bangladesh team, Bangladesh team officials, or any of the event venues.

"The ICC is aware of public comments made in recent days concerning the participation of Bangladesh in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, including selective references to the ICC’s security risk assessment. It is important to clarify that the ICC’s independent risk assessments, carried out by internationally recognised security experts, do not conclude that Bangladesh cannot play its scheduled matches in India," an ICC source told IANS.

"The overall security risk for the tournament in India has been assessed as low to moderate, which is consistent with the profile of many major global sporting events. The assessments did not identify any specific or direct threat to the Bangladesh team, team officials, or match venues in India.

India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the T20 World Cup 2026 starting February 7. However, Bangladesh’s cricketing board wrote a letter to the ICC requesting that its matches be shifted to Sri Lanka amid security concerns amid growing tensions between the two neighbouring nations. The BCB also stated that they had received a response from the ICC, with the governing council assuring them that they would look into the matter.

The ICC stated that both the security assessments from matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai are also assessed as low to moderate and that the identified risks can be addressed through "standard mitigation measures" as established in all events.

"Based on the professional advice received, the risk associated with Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures in Kolkata and Mumbai is assessed as low to moderate, with no indication of risks that cannot be effectively managed through established security planning and mitigation measures," the source said.

In addition, the ICC also explained that some of the media reports linked to "contingency planning" were misrepresentations of "routine contingency planning" and that those types of articles should not be taken as implying increased security concerns.

"Some media reports have misinterpreted contingency planning as being actual risk, rather than conclusions or determinations. Such scenario planning is routine in order to ensure preparedness and consider all eventualities, however remote.

"As is standard practice in professional security assessments, a broad range of hypothetical scenarios is considered to ensure preparedness. These scenarios are not statements of fact, instructions, or expectations, nor do they represent conditions set by the ICC regarding team selection, supporter behaviour, or domestic political processes.

"The ICC wishes to be clear that it has never suggested, nor would it suggest, that any team should select or exclude players for security reasons, that supporters should be restricted from wearing national colours, or that domestic democratic processes be altered in order to participate in an ICC event.

The ICC expressed faith in the host country, India, to fulfil its obligations as host and said they were very confident of the collaborative security arrangements being developed with BCCI and other local authorities, and cited India as having an exemplary track record for holding major events.

"The ICC has full confidence in the security arrangements being developed in close collaboration with the BCCI and relevant local authorities, who have a strong and proven track record of safely delivering major international sporting events.

"As with all ICC events, the security plan for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 remains under continuous review. Participating members, including the Bangladesh Cricket Board, are being consulted as part of this process, and the ICC remains open to constructive dialogue and feedback to further strengthen arrangements where appropriate.

"The ICC’s position remains unchanged. The match schedule has been finalised and published, and the ICC expects all participating teams to meet their obligations under the Terms of Participation. At the same time, the ICC will continue to engage with all stakeholders in a transparent, professional and collaborative manner to ensure the safety, security and integrity of the tournament."

Bangladesh are scheduled to play three games in India – against the West Indies (February 7), against Italy (February 9), and against England (February 14) in Kolkata – before moving to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17.

--IANS

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