Cricket Ireland (CI) has categorically stated that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will not move Ireland’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage matches outside Sri Lanka.
The clarification came after Bangladesh said it had asked the ICC to exchange Ireland’s squad due to security concerns over the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) tour to India.
“We have received firm assurances that we will not move from the original schedule. We are definitely playing in the group stage in Sri Lanka,” a Cricket Ireland official said.
Ireland are drawn in Group C alongside Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe and Oman, with Sri Lanka having all the scheduled group matches.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have been drawn in Group B along with West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy and are scheduled to play their group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The PCB team announced the change during a meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka on Saturday.
BCB said in a statement, “Among other points, the possibility of shifting Bangladesh to a different group was discussed as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical changes.”
However, the plan appears to have received little support from the ICC or Cricket Ireland.
The ICC delegation at the meeting included General Manager Events and Corporate Communications Gaurav Saxena and General Manager Integrity Unit Andrew Epgrave.
Saxena almost joined the discussions after receiving a Bangladeshi visa later than expected, while Epgrave attended in person.
The BCB delegation was led by President Md Aminul Islam and included Vice Presidents Md Shakhawat Hossain and Farooq Ahmed, Director and Chairman Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedin and CEO Nizam Uddin Chaudhry.
In a separate statement, the BCB confirmed that the possibility of a squad change in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was discussed as part of wider negotiations on Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.
“During the comments, the BCB reiterated its formal request to the ICC to shift Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka,” the board said.
As per the current schedule, Bangladesh are set to play their first three group matches in Kolkata – West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 – before wrapping up the group stage against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
The PCB refused to send its team to India, citing concerns over the safety and welfare of players and support staff, and requested the ICC to shift its matches to another venue outside India.
The stance continued heightened tensions after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was forced to withdraw from the Indian Premier League (IPL), sparking strong reactions in Dhaka.
Despite the impasse, the BCB said discussions with the ICC were conducted in a “constructive, amicable and professional” manner, with both sides agreeing to continue talks on the issue.
For the uninitiated, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.