In the aftermath of Bangladesh’s decision to boycott T20 World Cup 2026 in India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is reviewing the accreditation applications of Bangladeshi journalists wishing to cover the showpiece tournament in the neighboring country.
The accreditation gives the journalists access to the media box, press conference rooms and other areas of concern at a venue.
The ICC opens applications for a tournament beforehand, and each journalist is needed to specify the name and place of their organisation. The apex body has the ultimate authority on accepting these applications, with certain rules applicable to all.
Earlier in the day, some of the Bangladesh journalists alleged that their accreditation request was turned down by the global body. However, ICC sources dismissed such claims, revealing the media accreditation process is being reworked.
"There is a reworking of the process since there is a change in the number of requests and the schedules. The accreditation lists are being worked out accordingly," ICC sources told PTI.
80-90 Bangladeshi journalists have reportedly applied for the media accreditation, but it was not feasible to accommodate all requests even if their team was participating in the marquee event.
"If you go by country quota, you can't exceed the number beyond 40. The ICC goes by the recommendations of the home board and accordingly takes a call on applications," sources added.
In Dhaka, BCB media committee chairman Amjad Hossain said he has taken up the matter with the ICC.
"The decision came only yesterday and we have sought to know [the details]. An explanation has been requested. This is an internal and confidential matter, but to summarize -- we wanted to know why this was done," Hossain told reporters in Dhaka.
"I have covered 8 to 9 ICC World Cups. This was the time first time my application was rejected. We are awaiting clarity from BCB before reapplying," said a senior Bangladeshi journalist.
Bangladesh had refused to travel to India citing security concerns following heightened tensions between the two countries and the release of Mustafizur Rahman by IPL franchise KKR on BCCI’s instructions.
However, the ICC declined the request, saying no such verifiable threat existed while also citing the logistical difficulty of altering the tournament schedule so close to the event. Bangladesh maintained their stance and were later replaced by Scotland.
(With PTI Inputs)
