India faces Nipah virus outbreak ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

KARACHI: The highly anticipated ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 faced another roadblock on Monday following the reports of a deadly Nipah virus outbreak in India, which co-hosts the upcoming mega event alongside Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

According to Indian media, at least five Nipah virus cases have been reported in West Bengal, prompting around 100 people to be quarantined as part of an emergency health response just weeks before the commencement of the 20-team tournament.

The details further suggested that the five individuals affected by the deadly virus include health workers, with two nurses in Kolkata reportedly in critical condition.

The outbreak of the deadly virus came at a time when several international teams, fans and officials were set to visit the country for the mega event.

For the unversed, Nipah is a bat-borne zoonotic disease and is regarded as particularly lethal, with fatality rates reaching up to 75 per cent during certain outbreaks.

However, besides the health fear, the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 has been marred by controversy since the start of the month, which saw the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refuse to travel to India, citing security concerns.

The BCB formally requested the apex body for the venue change after the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released experienced Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad on the directives of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The two parties were then involved in several negotiations, but a settlement could not be reached, and the ICC eventually replaced Bangladesh with Scotland last week.

The decision did not sit well with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is currently deliberating on its national men's team's participation in the mega event, with the final decision, according to its chairman Mohsin Naqvi, expected to be taken on Friday or by next Monday.