In a dramatic reversal weeks after Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup in India, the country’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul has claimed that the decision not to participate in the ICC event was taken by the players and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), not by the government. Bangladesh were subsequently replaced by Scotland in the tournament line-up.
Bangladesh had earlier pulled out of the World Cup amid rising political tensions in the region, triggered by the BCCI’s decision to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for IPL 2026. The BCB had written to the ICC requesting that their matches be shifted to Sri Lanka, but the governing body rejected the proposal.
After weeks of negotiations, with neither side backing down, the ICC made the final call to remove Bangladesh from the tournament.
Last month, however, Asif had maintained that the Bangladesh government’s stance was firm and that the BCB’s hands were tied. Around the same time, Litton Das and several other players revealed that they had not been consulted during the standoff between the BCB and the ICC. Asif later met the players to explain the government’s position.
“The purpose of the meeting was simply to explain to the players why the government took this decision and give them the context. I believe they understood. That was the purpose — nothing else,” Asif had said on January 22.
“I think we did not get justice from the ICC. Whether we will play in the World Cup or not is entirely a government decision,” he had added then.
However, nearly three weeks later, Asif shifted his stance, saying the choice to skip the World Cup was made by the board and the players.
“There is no question of regret. This decision was taken by the BCB and the players, as they made sacrifices for the safety of the country’s cricket, the safety of the people, and to protect national dignity,” Asif told reporters on Tuesday.
His comments came a day after the ICC described Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament as “unfortunate” and assured that no sanctions would be imposed on the BCB. The governing body also confirmed that Bangladesh would be considered to host an ICC event during the 2028–31 cycle.
“The ICC has said there will be no sanctions and that Bangladesh will be considered for hosting an international tournament. This is a brilliant achievement. I salute the Bangladesh Cricket Board,” Asif added.
