Bangladesh accuses ICC of unfair scheduling after U19 World Cup 2026 exit. Heavy travel burden affected players’ performance; ICC faces criticism from BCB.
Bangladesh has once again raised concerns against the International Cricket Council (ICC), this time over what they call “unfair scheduling” at the ongoing U19 World Cup 2026. The team was knocked out of the tournament following a loss to England in their opening Super Six match on Monday, January 26.
Hectic Travel Takes Toll on Young Players
Habibul Bashar, Bangladesh’s Game Development Coordinator, revealed that the team faced an unusually taxing travel schedule during the tournament, which left players fatigued and frustrated. According to Bashar, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) even paid for an internal flight to prevent the players from getting exhausted before their crucial match against India, as the ICC prohibited domestic air travel this year.
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“The schedule was very unfair to us. Initially, we were supposed to play two warm-up matches in Masvingo and then travel to Bulawayo for the group-stage games—a four-hour drive. Later, the ICC changed the schedule, forcing us to travel back and forth for our warm-ups and group matches. We had flagged this issue before the tournament, requesting that practice games be moved to reduce travel, but no action was taken,” Bashar said in a statement to The Daily Star.
Other Teams Enjoyed Easier Travel
Comparatively, other teams had far less strenuous travel itineraries. India remained in Bulawayo for all their matches, including practice sessions. Australia conducted all warm-up and group matches in Windhoek, Namibia, and only traveled to Harare for the Super Six match against the West Indies. Pakistan played group-stage matches and their opening Super Six fixture in Harare, traveling to Bulawayo only for the final Super Six game against India. England split their warm-ups and group matches between Harare and Bulawayo, traveling far less than Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Frustration Continues
This latest dispute adds to a string of tensions between Bangladesh and the ICC. Earlier, the team pulled out of the T20 World Cup after the ICC rejected their request to move matches out of India. The BCB has highlighted that excessive travel affects players’ performance and recovery, raising questions about fairness in international youth tournaments.
With Bangladesh out of the U19 World Cup, the focus now shifts to India, England, Australia, and Pakistan as the Super Six stage continues, but concerns over scheduling fairness are likely to remain a talking point.
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