Kamal Ghorui
Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has weighed in on the ongoing standoff involving the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the ICC, suggesting that Bangladesh should look to ease tensions with India rather than seek a relocation of its matches from India ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Speaking to ANI, Wassan said the appointment of Litton Das as Bangladesh captain could be used as a bridge-building opportunity between the two countries. He argued that shifting matches at such a late stage would pose serious logistical challenges for the ICC and maintained that India is capable of providing robust security for visiting teams.
“It is a logistical nightmare for the ICC. The preparations for the T20 World Cup have been going on for so long, and it is not possible to do so with the tournament so close now. I don’t think there will be any security issues in India. We have foolproof security and safety measures in place here,” Wassan said. He added, “Your captain is a Hindu, and I think Bangladesh should use the tournament as an olive branch and assuage the ongoing tensions.” On Wednesday, the ICC confirmed that the T20 World Cup 2026 would go ahead as scheduled, with Bangladesh’s matches remaining in India. The decision followed an ICC Board meeting held via video conference, which was convened after the BCB requested that its fixtures be moved to Sri Lanka citing security concerns. Wassan said Bangladesh’s position does not align with the ICC’s stance and described the request as impractical at short notice. “You cannot just wake up one day and write a letter asking for your matches to be shifted. Things don’t move in this manner,” he said. “The ICC must have told them to either get in line or get out, and I think the BCB knows it.” Despite the ICC’s ruling, BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul reiterated on Thursday that the board remains firm on its decision not to play its World Cup matches in India. The Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, with India and Sri Lanka serving as co-hosts.
