The T20 World Cup 2026 may witness a significant venue reshuffle for Bangladesh matches. Reports suggest the BCCI has decided to move Bangladesh’s group-stage games from Kolkata and Mumbai, with South Indian cities like Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram emerging as strong alternatives.
BCCI Mulls Venue Change for Bangladesh Games in T20 WC 2026
New Delhi: The 2026 T20 World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka starting February 7th. Preparations for this mega tournament are in full swing, but significant news has emerged regarding the venue for Bangladesh's matches. According to reports, the venue for Bangladesh's matches may be relocated, and the BCCI has made a significant decision in this regard.
According to the previously released schedule, all of Bangladesh's group matches were to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai. However, according to a Cricbuzz report, the likelihood of these matches being shifted to Sri Lanka is now very low. Instead, it is more likely that the matches will be relocated to cities in South India. In this scenario, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram could be potential new venues.
ICC Draws the Line with Bangladesh: T20 World Cup matches to be held in India
Indeed, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had emailed the ICC requesting a change in the venue for its T20 World Cup matches. The BCB had expressed its desire to shift the matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns about playing in India. This demand came after the BCCI expelled Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL.
While recent reports indicate that the venue for Bangladesh's matches may be changed, it is unclear whether this decision was made due to the BCB's demand. According to the report, this could be a purely internal BCCI decision aimed at improving logistics and security arrangements.
According to the current schedule, Bangladesh will begin its campaign against the West Indies in Kolkata on February 7th. This will be followed by matches against Italy on February 9th and England on February 14th, both scheduled in Kolkata. The final match of the league stage is scheduled to be played against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17th.
BCCI breaks silence on Bangladesh refusing to play T20 World Cup matches in India
At present, no official announcement has been made by the ICC or BCCI regarding the venue change. In such a situation, the eyes of the fans and the cricket world are fixed on the final decision, which may come out soon.
