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Despite the T20 World Cup being less than three weeks away, a thick cloud of confusion hangs over the participation of a major Test-playing nation. Fans and officials are locked in a tense waiting game as the standoff between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reaches a breaking point. No one, not even the players, seems to know if the 15-man squad will board a plane or if the tournament will proceed with a last-minute replacement.

Litton Das breaks silence on T20 World Cup 2026 row as Bangladesh defies ICC ultimatum

Addressing the media after his Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team, the Rangpur Riderswas knocked out of the eliminator on January 20, 2026, captain Litton Das delivered a shocking reality check. When asked about World Cup preparations, the skipper refused to provide a technical answer, instead exposing a total lack of communication between the board and the squad.

Das admitted that the players have not been consulted and are completely in the dark regarding their group, their travel plans, or even if they are participating. In a moment that captured the severity of the tension, he halted a reporter mid-sentence, stating it was simply “not safe” for him to discuss the matter further.

“Are you sure we are going to play the World Cup? From my side, I am uncertain; everyone is uncertain. I think the whole of Bangladesh is uncertain at this moment. You don’t know, I don’t know, we’re on the same page. That is not safe for me to answer. No player knows which country we will be playing in or whom we will be playing against.” Das was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

Bangladesh rejects ICC’s ‘unreasonable’ pressure

The heart of the crisis lies in Bangladesh’s refusal to play its group-stage matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, citing security concerns that escalated after the Mustafizur Rahman IPL row. While the ICC reportedly set a January 21 deadline for a final decision, Bangladesh Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has taken a defiant stance. He made it clear that Bangladesh would not “bow down” to what he described as illogical pressure from the BCCI or the ICC. The BCB’s request to move their matches to Sri Lanka remains rejected by the ICC, which maintains that risk assessments for India are low to moderate.

“If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose unreasonable conditions on us, we will not accept those conditions. We cannot be forced to play in India by putting illogical pressure. In the past, there are examples where Pakistan said they would not travel to India and the ICC changed the venue. We have asked to change the venue on logical grounds.” Nazrul was quoted as saying by Indian Express.