Cricket Ireland rejects T20 World Cup group swap: Reports

Amid reports that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) proposed a group swap with Ireland for the T20 World Cup 2026, Cricket Ireland has confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will not move Ireland’s matches out of Sri Lanka.

“We’ve received definitive assurances that we won’t move from the original schedule. We’re definitely playing the Group Stage in Sri Lanka,” a Cricket Ireland official told Cricbuzz.

Ireland are placed in Group B alongside co-hosts Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe and Oman, with all matches scheduled to be played in Kandy and Colombo.

Bangladesh, who are in Group C with West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy, are unwilling to travel to India for the tournament due to security concerns. Their group-stage matches are currently scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.

During a meeting with the ICC in Dhaka on Saturday, the BCB floated the idea of swapping groups with Ireland as a potential solution that would require minimal logistical changes.

“The possibility of moving Bangladesh to a different group as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical adjustments was discussed,” the BCB said in a statement.

The BCB also reiterated its formal request to relocate Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns for players, fans, media and officials. Both the BCB and ICC agreed to continue discussions on the matter in the coming days.

The ICC delegation was represented by Andrew Ephgrave, General Manager of the Integrity Unit, who attended in person, and Gaurav Saxena, General Manager of Events and Corporate Communications, who joined virtually due to a visa delay. The BCB was represented by president Aminul Islam Bulbul, vice-presidents Shakawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Cricket Operations Committee chairman Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, head of security Brigadier General Kazi Shameem Farhad (Retd) and CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.

Bangladesh formally requested the relocation of their matches from India on January 4, following security concerns that emerged after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders earlier this month.