With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set to begin on February 7, Sri Lanka has finally broken its silence on the ongoing controversy involving Bangladesh and the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, has already been hit by political and security-related tensions just days before the opening match.
The dispute began when the Bangladesh Cricket Board requested that their group-stage matches be shifted out of India, citing security concerns. Bangladesh were originally scheduled to play four matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. Their request followed the withdrawal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League, which reportedly heightened concerns within the Bangladesh camp.
However, the ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request and gave the team a 24-hour deadline to confirm participation under the original schedule. When Bangladesh refused to back down, the ICC took the drastic step of removing them from the tournament and replacing them with Scotland, the highest-ranked team among those who failed to qualify.
Reports have since suggested that Pakistan may also consider boycotting the tournament in solidarity with Bangladesh or could refuse to play matches against India. This has added another layer of uncertainty to the high-profile event.
Amid this regional tension, Sri Lanka as co-host had remained notably quiet. Now, Cricket Secretary Bandula Dissanayake has clarified the country’s position. Speaking to AFP, he said Sri Lanka does not want to be drawn into disputes between India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. “We are remaining neutral; all of these are friendly nations,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage added that the country is giving the “highest priority” to ensuring the smooth conduct of the tournament, with special attention on high-risk fixtures such as India vs Pakistan.
Pakistan, due to ongoing political tensions with India, will play their matches in Sri Lanka, including their clash against India.
The T20 World Cup 2026 will run from February 7 to March 8, with organizers hoping the cricket takes center stage despite the off-field controversies.
