Bangladesh was removed from T20 World Cup after their continued refusal to travel to India.
The cricket boards of Bangladesh and Pakistan made some odd requests in what seemed to be an unprecedented battle with the International Cricket Council ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, which is being played in India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan started a "boycott drama" for the India match after Bangladesh first declined to visit India on the grounds of "security issues." Pakistan justified its actions by claiming "solidarity" with Bangladesh, who were disqualified from the T20 World Cup for its refusal to visit India.
Syed Ashraful Haque has now revealed how BCB head Aminul Islam may have been misled by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
“Possibly, though I prefer not to discuss politics. As a cricket administrator, I focus on honesty and commitment. Aminul Islam, likely being naive, was influenced by Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, the current ACC president, who persuaded him to go along. At the end of the day, who won?” Haque said in an interview with RevSportz.
He was also questioned over Bangladesh's exclusion from the T20 World Cup due to their refusal to tour India.
"I always believed the decision taken by the Bangladesh government at the time, particularly by the then sports adviser (Asif Nazrul), was premature. There was no justification for such a drastic decision simply because Mustafizur Rahman was not allowed to play in the IPL in India," Haque said.
"We had ample time to negotiate with the BCCI and, if necessary, the Indian government. The ICC organized the tournament and provided security, which they fulfilled. If we still had concerns, the government could have requested additional assurances regarding player safety,” he added.
Haque went on to explain why BCB chairman Aminul "walked into a trap" and how players suffered because of it.
"He lacks an understanding of international cricket diplomacy. He walked into a trap, overly concerned with pleasing the government rather than protecting his players, who are the nation's greatest assets.
Players like Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, and Najmul Shanto are in their early 30s—missing this World Cup is an injustice to them and to Bangladesh's cricket fans. After India, Bangladesh is probably the most cricket-obsessed nation, and depriving fans of their team in the World Cup is a shame and a let-down,” he added.
However, Bangladesh has now had a change in regime as Mohammad Yunus’s interim reign has been replaced by the BNP government. New Sports Minister Aminul Haque has already stated that they want to mend sporting ties with India and the BCCI.
(RevSportz inputs)