BCB Unveils Three-Team T20 League as Replacement for T20 World Cup

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the Odommo Bangladesh T20 Cup, a three-team T20 league featuring Dhumketu XI, Durbar XI, and Duronto XI. The tournament will run from February 5 to 9, 2026, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, with a total prize money of Tk 2.5 crore (approximately $200,000). The BCB have also introduced the impact player rule for the tournament, a first for an official match in Bangladesh. A member of the starting eleven can be swapped out at any point in the match for a twelfth player chosen from a roster of options announced at the toss. The tournament, which has been given official T20 status by the BCB, carries total prize money and fees worth Tk 2.5 crore (USD 204,504 approx.) according to a press release. Bangladesh's participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 became uncertain after sports adviser Asif Nazrul stated that the team wouldn't travel to India, citing security concerns. This decision followed the BCCI's withdrawal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, sparking a chain reaction among cricket administrators. The ICC ultimately replaced Bangladesh with Scotland after negotiations fell through. The controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the IPL led to Bangladesh's refusal to play their World Cup matches in India, with the BCB requesting a venue shift to Sri Lanka. The ICC rejected this request, citing logistical challenges and the late change in schedule. The teams are led by Litton Kumar Das (Dhumketu XI), Najmul Hossain Shanto (Durbar XI), and Akbar Ali (Duronto XI). The league is a response to Bangladesh's withdrawal from the T20 World Cup 2026. Bangladesh's cricketers are in the middle of a light domestic season in terms of on-field workload, with many domestic teams opting to boycott the Dhaka leagues. So far, the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League has not taken place for the 2025-26 season either.