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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Cricket Ireland received definitive assurances of no venue changes from ICC
- 2🏆 Ireland confirms all Group C matches will be played in Sri Lanka as scheduled
- 3💡 BCB's group swap proposal with Ireland has been effectively rejected by Irish board
- 4🔮 Bangladesh-India diplomatic tensions continue to complicate T20 World Cup logistics
"Bangladesh had offered to swap groups with Ireland at the World Cup in order to play their games at Sri Lanka"
Cricket Ireland has categorically ruled out any venue changes for their T20 World Cup 2026 matches, dismissing reports of a potential group swap with Bangladesh. An official from CI provided definitive assurances that Ireland will remain in Group C and play all their fixtures in Sri Lanka as originally scheduled.
Ireland Stands Firm Amid BCB Swap Proposal
Ireland are placed alongside Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe, and Oman in Group C, with all matches scheduled across Sri Lankan venues. The BCB's request to swap groups with Ireland was presented to the ICC during a meeting in Dhaka, but Cricket Ireland has made clear that no such arrangement will materialize.
"We've received definitive assurances that we won't move from the original schedule. We're definitely playing the Group Stage in Sri Lanka," the CI official stated, emphasizing the finality of their position.
Bangladesh, currently in Group B with West Indies, England, Nepal, and Italy, has been refusing to travel to India due to security concerns following recent political developments. The BCB's group-swap proposal represented an attempt to circumvent this impasse by relocating their matches to Sri Lanka instead.
Cricket Ireland's firm stance underscores the complexity of the situation and the challenges the ICC faces in accommodating competing national interests while maintaining tournament integrity and fairness across all participating nations.
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