Pakistan has offered to host Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup, even though it is not a co-host of the tournament. The 20-team event is being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, but rising tensions between India and Bangladesh have triggered a major dispute over match venues.

According to a report by The Times of India, quoting Pakistani media outlet Geo News, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it is ready to host all of Bangladesh’s World Cup matches. This includes both league matches and knockout games, if Bangladesh qualifies. The move comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India, citing security concerns for its players.

The report says PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi personally approached the ICC with the offer. Bangladesh is currently waiting for the ICC’s response, although a similar request made earlier was rejected.

Bangladesh had officially written to the ICC asking that their matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka, which is also a co-host. However, the ICC rejected the request, stating that there was no solid evidence of any security threat to the Bangladeshi team in India. The ICC reportedly told Bangladesh that they must play their matches in India or be prepared to forfeit their points.

The controversy began after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, who had been picked in the December auction. The BCCI cited “recent developments” in Bangladesh but did not clearly explain the reason. This decision caused confusion and anger in Bangladesh.

After this, the BCB held emergency meetings and strongly criticised the BCCI’s move. As a protest, the Bangladesh Cricket Board decided to stop broadcasting IPL matches in the country. Soon after, the BCB formally requested the ICC to change the venues of their World Cup games.

Bangladesh has been placed in Group C and is scheduled to play four league matches, with three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, starting February 7. Despite another attempt by the BCB to convince the ICC, the governing body has so far stood firm on its decision, leaving Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament uncertain.