Bangladesh was replaced in T20 World Cup 2026 by Scotland after repeated refusals to play in India.
Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had made a plea to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka citing ‘security concerns’ for their players in India, following heightened tensions between the two nations and the release of Mustafizur Rahman by IPL franchise KKR on BCCI’s instructions.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) turned down the request, saying no such verifiable threat existed while also stating the logistical difficulty of altering the schedule close to the global showpiece. Bangladesh maintained their stand and were later replaced by Scotland in the 20-team tournament.
Speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai on Wednesday (April 29), Shakib specifically blamed Bangladesh’s previous interim government for the non-participation, stating it deprived one of the most passionate fan bases of watching their team on the world stage.
“I think that’s a big loss. A great miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned because we as a country love watching our players play World Cups,” Shakib said.
“We are a cricket-loving country and a country like Bangladesh not participating in the World Cup was a big miss. I think it’s a blunder from the (caretaker) government that they took the decision not to participate in that World Cup,” he added.
Shakib sounded optimistic when asked about his own future and the possibility of a farewell appearance. “We’ll see that later. But I think things will start getting better sooner or later with time. I’m hopeful that I can get what I want,” he stated.
The 39-year-old acknowledged that "the game has moved on" and expressed no regrets about not participating in the ongoing IPL.
“I have played enough. The younger generation has come in and they are performing really well. It’s difficult for me now with the competitiveness, but I’m not missing it. I enjoy watching it,” he said.
Shakib was notably impressed by the depth of talent emerging from the IPL, claiming that the pipeline in Indian cricket is strong enough to sustain itself for "the next 50 years".
“There are a lot of young players coming in… the pipeline in Indian cricket is such that it can go on for the next 50 years,” he remarked.
For the future of Bangladesh cricket, Shakib emphasized moving away from individual brilliance to collective strength.
“Previously it used to be individuals, now it’s more about the team and that’s the better way forward,” he said, expressing confidence in the emerging generation.