With just over a month remaining before the men’s T20 World Cup gets underway. The International Cricket Council (ICC) finds itself grappling with a difficult late-stage planning challenge. Officials are considering whether the tournament schedule needs to be revised.
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A move that would place significant strain on systems that are already firmly locked in for a major global event. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8, leaving little room for error or extended deliberation.
According to reports, the ICC has begun exploring alternative scheduling scenarios. After the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally expressed its reluctance to send its national team to India under the current circumstances.
While no official announcement has yet been made, there is a sense that discussions are progressing quickly behind the scenes. Administrators are believed to be open to adjusting if required, with a final decision potentially expected within the next 24 to 48 hours.
Under the existing schedule, Bangladesh are set to play three of their group-stage matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, facing West Indies, Italy and England. They are also due to play one match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium against Nepal.
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ICC Races Against Time Over T20 World Cup 2026 Fixtures
Any change to Bangladesh’s participation or venues would not be limited to their fixtures alone. Because of the tightly interlinked nature of tournament scheduling, even a single team’s relocation could trigger a domino effect. Forcing the ICC to reshuffle matches involving other nations as well.
Venue management is one of the most immediate challenges. If Bangladesh’s matches are moved out of India, Eden Gardens could still be expected to host other games at short notice. That would require teams to be reassigned.
Match timings to be adjusted and operational staff to be redeployed, all while ticket sales, security arrangements and broadcast plans are already well advanced. For a historic and high-capacity venue like Eden Gardens, these changes are particularly complex.
Crowd control, transport planning and coordination with local authorities involve multiple agencies, and even small alterations usually require weeks of preparation. With the tournament so close, the ICC simply does not have that luxury.
Sri Lanka, as the tournament’s co-host, has emerged as the most practical alternative should Bangladesh’s request be approved. From a logistical perspective, shifting matches within an existing host nation is far simpler than identifying and preparing an entirely new venue.
Sri Lanka’s stadiums already meet ICC standards, and systems related to broadcasting, accreditation and operations are fully aligned with tournament requirements. This makes any potential relocation more manageable, at least in theory.
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T20 World Cup Final: Late Changes Are Nothing New for ICC
The BCB’s stance is driven primarily by concerns over player safety and security while travelling to India. After holding an emergency meeting, the board concluded that the team should not tour India under the prevailing environment.
And formally asked the ICC to ensure all of Bangladesh’s matches are staged elsewhere. This position has gathered additional traction following a separate controversy involving seamer Mustafizur Rahman. His exit from an Indian Premier League squad has added to the perception in Dhaka that conditions are currently unfavourable.
Although ICC tournaments are technically separate from bilateral series and domestic leagues. Officials are well aware that the broader political and sporting climate cannot be entirely ignored. For the ICC, the situation represents a delicate balancing act.
Approving Bangladesh’s request could help ease tensions and reinforce the organisation’s stated commitment to player welfare. However, it also raises concerns about setting a precedent, where future schedule changes might be sought due to bilateral issues rather than purely tournament-related needs.
This is not the first time the ICC has been forced to adjust World Cup plans at short notice. During the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, the governing body revised the schedule less than two months before the tournament began. Nine matches had their dates or start times altered, including the high-profile India–Pakistan clash in Ahmedabad.
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