T20 World Cup 2026: Bangladesh Seeks Venue Shift To Sri Lanka After Mustafizur Rahman's IPL Exit

In this Special Report, India Today’s Principal Correspondent Anirban Sinha Roy details the escalating cricketing diplomatic row as Bangladesh refuses to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The decision follows the Bangladesh Interim Government’s directive to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to seek a venue shift to Sri Lanka. The move comes after the BCCI reportedly asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan, to drop Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, citing attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country. Bangladesh’s Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul termed the BCCI’s stance a ‘communal policy’ in a social media post. The report highlights the logistical challenges for the ICC, with matches originally scheduled at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens now in limbo.