Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has dropped a diplomatic stance on Bangladesh’s demand to shift its matches in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 out of India. They want to play their matches in Sri Lanka, the joint host of the tournament, next month.
Harbhajan Singh reacts to Bangladesh’s demand for T20 World Cup 2026 venue shift
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has officially asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches out of India amid rising safety and security concerns.
As the ICC faces a growing diplomatic and logistical challenge, Harbhajan Singh has stressed India’s proven track record as a safe and welcoming host for all international teams.
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Also, Harbhajan stressed that whether Bangladesh wants to play in India or shift their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches to Sri Lanka, it is ultimately their choice, and the final decision rests with the governing body and the BCB itself. However, he criticized the current situation of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Decision depends on ICC: Harbhajan Singh
The former World Cup winner also believes that the ICC should take a balanced decision that respects all parties, and not through public pressure or emotional reactions, especially when there are just a few weeks left for the upcoming showpiece event to begin.
“Bangladesh does not want to come to India because of various incidents that have happened in the last few days. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. The ICC needs to take a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they want to come here or not is their choice,” ANI quoted Harbhajan Singh as saying.
origin of dispute
BCB moved ICC after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL 2026 squad on the directions of BCCI following intense demand from fans and political leaders in the wake of alleged killings and persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The situation worsened when the Bangladesh government announced that the broadcast of the upcoming IPL 2026 would be suspended in the country.
IPL matches and related events will not be telecast in Bangladesh until further notice, which shows how serious the situation has become.
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India-Bangladesh tensions hit ICC T20 World Cup as ICC struggles for Plan B
The ICC has been prompted to take immediate action as rising tensions between India and Bangladesh threaten to disrupt plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
It is being said that ICC has started working on the backup schedule after BCB officially asked them to shift their matches out of India.
Bangladesh have requested that their games be moved to Sri Lanka citing growing concerns over safety and security as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate.
The request has put the ICC in a difficult position, as the tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7, leaving little time to make adjustments to venues, logistics, teams’ travel plans and broadcast arrangements. Now all eyes are on ICC’s next step.
