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The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is set to begin on 7 February across Sri Lanka and India; however, reports are swirling over potential schedule changes due to the Nipah virus outbreak in West Bengal.
Last week, Indian media reported an outbreak of the Nipah virus in West Bengal, prompting authorities to quarantine around 100 people as part of an emergency health response.
The Nipah virus is a bat-borne zoonotic disease — it can be spread from animals to humans, and is regarded as particularly lethal, with high fatality rates in severe cases.
Concerns about the virus intensified after several media outlets reported that England and Australia had advised against travel to India due to the outbreak.
However, the reports were downplayed after the Indian Ministry of Health released an official statement.
“Enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, and field investigations were undertaken through coordinated efforts of Central and State health agencies, which ensured timely containment of the cases,” the Ministry said in an official statement.
“No additional Nipah Virus Disease cases have been detected so far. The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place,” it added.
The official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also rejected any proposal to relocate the T20 World Cup fixtures.
“We take any potential health risk seriously, especially ahead of major tournaments. At this stage, we have not identified any credible threat. If the situation changes, decisions will be taken in consultation with local authorities and the government,” a BCCI official told an Indian sports outlet.
“There is absolutely no question of moving matches away from Kolkata,” he added.
The official also dismissed concerns about the virus and stated that no discussions had been held about the intact mega-event schedule.
“Everything is safe at the moment. If the government or local administration advises otherwise, we will respond accordingly. For now, there is no discussion about changing World Cup plans due to Nipah virus concerns,” he concluded.
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