Bangladesh captain Litton Das sidestepped questions surrounding the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 controversy, saying it was not safe for him to comment as uncertainty continues to loom over the team’s participation.
With less than two weeks remaining before the tournament, Bangladesh’s involvement remains unclear due to a standoff between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC). The BCB has formally requested that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. However, the ICC has so far shown little willingness to accommodate the request, with multiple rounds of discussions failing to produce a resolution.
Speaking to reporters after a Bangladesh Premier League match on Tuesday, Litton was asked whether the playing surfaces in the BPL were helping the team prepare for the World Cup. The skipper responded cautiously, hinting at the prevailing uncertainty over whether Bangladesh would even feature in the tournament.
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“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. No answer. I understand what question you are going to ask. That is not safe for me. No answer,” Litton said.
Earlier, Bangladesh government’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul reiterated that the national team would not travel to India under any circumstances for the T20 World Cup, despite the ICC reportedly asking the BCB to confirm its participation by January 21.
Should Bangladesh pull out of the 20-team competition, Scotland are expected to replace them based on current ICC rankings.
Nazrul, however, dismissed suggestions of Bangladesh being pressured into participation. “I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place. If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose unreasonable conditions on us, we will not accept them,” he told reporters.
He also pointed to past precedents, saying venue changes have occurred earlier under similar circumstances. “There are examples where Pakistan refused to travel to India and the ICC changed the venue. We have asked for a venue change on logical grounds, and we cannot be forced to play in India through illogical pressure,” Nazrul added.
