The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is expected to make a final decision by January 21 on whether its team will travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the deadline was confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) during discussions in Dhaka on Saturday.

In their second meeting in a week, the BCB reaffirmed its desire to play in the tournament but outside India, with Sri Lanka being the most viable alternative.

The board has cited security concerns for its players in India, but the ICC has maintained that the original schedule will not be altered.

Bangladesh is currently placed in Group C, scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata — including the opening game against the West Indies on February 7 — before concluding their group stage in Mumbai.

The dispute began nearly three weeks ago when the BCB first raised concerns on January 4, following the controversial removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad.

The decision, made at the BCCI’s instruction, led to the Bangladesh government banning IPL broadcasts, prompting the BCB to formally request that its team not play in India.

The ICC reportedly rejected BCB’s proposal to move Bangladesh to Group B to play in Sri Lanka and has assured the board that no direct security threats exist for the team.

An independent security assessment has labelled India’s overall threat level as medium to high, but it does not identify any specific danger to the visiting teams.

Sources close to the discussions indicate that if the BCB ultimately declines to travel, the ICC is likely to invite a replacement team, with Scotland being the most probable choice based on current rankings.

With the tournament just weeks away, the cricketing world is now awaiting Bangladesh’s final decision, which could significantly impact group compositions and the tournament schedule.