Cricket Ireland has firmly stated that Ireland will not play its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage matches in India, dismissing speculation that a group swap with Bangladesh was being considered.
The clarification comes after claims from Bangladesh that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to explore exchanging groups with Ireland due to security concerns related to travel and participation in India.
A Cricket Ireland official confirmed that the matter has been conclusively settled. “We’ve received definitive assurances that we won’t move from the original schedule. We’re definitely playing the group stage in Sri Lanka,” the official said.
Ireland fixed in Sri Lanka-based group
Ireland have been drawn in Group C, alongside Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe and Oman, with all of their group-stage matches scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka, one of the two co-hosts of the tournament.
Cricket Ireland’s stance makes clear that the board has no intention of relocating its matches to India, regardless of any discussions involving other teams or groups.
Bangladesh seeks venue change
Bangladesh, meanwhile, are placed in Group B with West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy. Under the current schedule, Bangladesh are due to play their first three matches in Kolkata — against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 — before facing Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.
The BCB confirmed that it raised the possibility of a group change during a meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka, citing concerns over the safety and security of its players, support staff, fans and media personnel.
In a statement, the board said that “among other points, the possibility of moving Bangladesh to a different group as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical adjustments was discussed.”
However, Cricket Ireland’s confirmation indicates that any such proposal does not involve Ireland, and that the original group allocations remain intact.
ICC discussions yield no change
The ICC delegation at the Dhaka meeting included Gaurav Saxena, General Manager for Events and Corporate Communications, and Andrew Ephgrave, General Manager of the ICC Integrity Unit.
Saxena joined the discussions virtually after receiving his Bangladesh visa later than expected, while Ephgrave attended in person.
The BCB delegation was led by president Md Aminul Islam, along with vice-presidents Md Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Director and Cricket Operations Committee chairman Nazmul Abedeen, and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.
In a separate statement, the BCB reiterated that it had formally requested the ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, adding that the request reflected concerns expressed by the Bangladeshi government.
Tensions remain
The BCB has maintained that it is unwilling to send its team to India under the current circumstances, pointing to heightened tensions following Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s withdrawal from the Indian Premier League, an episode that sparked strong reactions in Dhaka.
Despite the disagreement, the BCB said discussions with the ICC were conducted in a “constructive, cordial and professional” manner, and that dialogue on the issue would continue.
Tournament overview
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. While Bangladesh’s participation venues remain under discussion, Cricket Ireland has made it clear that Ireland’s group-stage fixtures will remain in Sri Lanka and will not be shifted to India.
