Three-member panel to investigate decisions that led to Bangladesh being removed from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

The Bangladesh government has officially formed a three-member committee to investigate the controversial sequence of events that resulted in the national cricket team being withdrawn from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in India during February and March.

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According to an announcement made by the sports ministry on Monday, additional secretary Dr AKM Wali Ullah will lead the committee. The panel also includes former Bangladesh captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar alongside Faisal Dastagir. The committee has been tasked with examining every aspect of the decision-making process that ultimately saw Bangladesh removed from the tournament by the ICC.

The panel has been instructed to submit its findings within 15 working days.

The controversy dates back to January 3, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India reportedly directed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad for an unspecified reason. The development came during a period of strained diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

Shortly afterwards, then Bangladesh sports adviser Asif Nazrul publicly urged the International Cricket Council to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. Nazrul made the statement through his official Facebook account on January 4 while serving in Bangladesh’s interim government that came to power following the 2024 student-led uprising.

Nazrul stated that the Bangladesh Cricket Board should inform the ICC that if a Bangladeshi cricketer could not safely participate in the IPL in India despite being contracted, then the national team would also feel unsafe travelling there for the World Cup. He also instructed the board to formally request Sri Lanka as an alternative venue for Bangladesh’s matches.

However, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board informed the ICC that the team would not participate in matches hosted in India, the ICC rejected the request, maintaining that there were no credible security threats. The deadlock reportedly continued even after an ICC delegation visited Bangladesh to discuss the matter with officials.

On January 24, following an ICC board meeting that dismissed Bangladesh’s request to relocate their fixtures, Bangladesh were officially removed from the tournament and replaced by Scotland national cricket team.

In a dramatic turn of events, Nazrul later denied responsibility for the withdrawal decision on the eve of Bangladesh’s national elections, claiming that the players themselves were responsible for the outcome.

Following the formation of the new government, sports minister Aminul Haque expressed a desire to rebuild sporting ties with India. He also informed parliament that a full investigation was necessary to determine how the issue had been managed by both the previous administration and the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The investigation is expected to shed light on one of the most controversial episodes in Bangladesh cricket history, with many fans and former players questioning how the country lost its place in a major ICC tournament.