Former Indian captain Virat Kohli gets involved in the ongoing Bangladesh T20 World Cup 2026 controversy

The International Cricket Council (ICC), led by Jay Shah, has made a bold decision to remove Bangladesh from the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. This move has shocked cricket fans around the world.

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli’s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, publicly supported the ICC’s decision. Bangladesh had refused to play their T20 World Cup matches in India, citing security concerns, even after repeated assurances.

As a result, the ICC added Scotland to Group C on January 24. The controversy started after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad on the BCCI’s order.

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Bangladesh Removed from T20 World Cup 2026

The BCCI decided after reports of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh were in the news. This led to criticism from fans and politicians. Soon after, Bangladesh banned IPL 2026 in their country and asked the ICC to move their T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns.

However, after reviewing the situation in detail, the ICC found no real security threat. Since Bangladesh refused to play in India, the ICC decided to go ahead without them. Reacting to the row, Virat Kohli’s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, supported the ICC’s decision and criticised Bangladesh for being stubborn.

Rajkumar Sharma Backs ICC

Rajkumar Sharma stated that Bangladesh was informed multiple times that there were no security issues in India, which regularly hosts large events safely. He told ANI:

"When Bangladesh was told there were no security problems here, and they still refused, the ICC gave them warnings and time. But when they didn’t agree, the ICC had to make this decision. I think it is absolutely the right decision. If you are not listening to your parent body, this is the right call by the ICC."

ICC Explains Decision

According to the ICC, they carried out a detailed consultation for over three weeks. Meetings were held with the BCB both online and in person. The ICC also checked independent security reports and shared full security plans, including arrangements by central and state authorities.

After reviewing everything, the ICC concluded there was no proven threat to Bangladesh players, officials, or fans in India. Accepting Bangladesh’s demand without strong reasons could have harmed the fairness of the tournament and set a wrong example.

Since the BCB did not respond within the deadline, the ICC invited Scotland to replace Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2026.