Bangladesh want a hybrid model for them like India and Pakistan in ICC events.
Speaking to the media in Dhaka, Aminul stated that India was granted the "privilege" of playing all of its Champions Trophy matches at one location—Dubai—after the Bangladeshi government strengthened its position following a meeting with the national sports adviser, the BCB, and national players.
Bangladesh's stance is that security concerns prevent it from visiting India. According to Aminul, during the 1996 and 2003 ODI World Cups, nations including Australia, the West Indies, New Zealand, and England forfeited their games by refusing to play at venues.
The ICC cited these examples to the BCB. But Aminul used the 2025 Champions Trophy as an example.
"The ICC tried to tell us about incidents in 1996 and 2003, but we pointed out their recent steps in a similar matter. When a country refused to travel to another country for the Champions Trophy last February, the ICC organized a neutral venue for them. The team played all their Champions Trophy matches in that neutral venue. They played on one ground, staying in one hotel. It was a privilege,” Aminul Islam said, as per ESPNCricinfo.
Islam further stated that he will continue to communicate with the ICC on the subject of Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 and the venue, but confirmed that they will not play their matches in India.
He said he told the ICC that it could also adopt the hybrid model of letting Bangladesh play in Sri Lanka.
"We are calling Sri Lanka co-hosts, but they are not co-hosts. Sri Lanka is part of the hybrid model where one country is going to play. We indicated to the ICC that since our government is reluctant (to let us play in India), we want to take that option. Still, they denied our request. We will communicate with the ICC today. We are ready to play the World Cup in Sri Lanka. We don't want to play in India,” Islam stated.
Even before the concept of a hybrid model gained traction, the 2026 T20 World Cup was always supposed to be co-hosted. However, it was decided that Sri Lanka would host any group or knockout match between India and Pakistan.
"We are proud of Bangladesh cricket, but we are doubtful about world cricket. When cricket's popularity is in decline, the ICC is denying a cricket-loving country of 200 million people. Cricket is going to the Olympics in 2028. India is bidding for the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, but it will be a failure if such a country [Bangladesh] is not going to the World Cup. We are not giving up on playing the World Cup,” Islam said.
When asked if they were going to miss the ICC's deadline of one day to change their stance on playing in India, Aminul said, "A global organization cannot give a deadline of 24 hours. We will keep fighting."
In a statement issued after the board meeting on Wednesday, the ICC stated that there was no real security danger to Bangladesh in India and that agreeing to a change in venue would set a precedent.
The ICC's position was that it would replace Bangladesh with another team at the 2026 T20 World Cup if the BCB did not agree to travel to India.
(PTI inputs)