'We are helpless': Bangladesh players upset after Sports Advisor Nazrul's U-turn on T20 World Cup exclusion

Dhaka:

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are not being sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for missing the T20 World Cup 2026 but they are already in turmoil for the missing the competition. For the unversed, their government refused to permit the national team to travel to India, citing security concerns after Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the BCCI without giving a specific reason. However, days after playing a massive role in Bangladesh's exclusion from the mega event, their Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul made a U-turn, blaming the board and the players in the matter.

He alleged that the decision to pull out of the T20 World Cup was of BCB and the players leaving both the latter parties shocked. "The decision was made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the cricketers. They themselves made sacrifices for the safety of the country’s cricket, for the safety of the people of the country. The role they played in upholding Bangladesh’s dignity will always be held as exemplary," he said.

This clearly contradicted his previous statement, made on January 22. "I am making it clear to everyone: the decision not to play the World Cup in India, considering security concerns, is the government’s," he had said.

We don't know what to say, says the cricketers

On expected lines, Bangladesh cricketers are miffed with Nazrul over his statement and a few of them reacted in the media on the condition of anonymity. The players highlighted that situation of cricket in the country stating that they are helpless after missing out on playing in a tournament like the World Cup.

"That was funny," a player said while speaking to the Daily Star. "You heard what he said. What can we say? We have no one. We are helpless. We don’t know what to say since we had no hand in this [World Cup exclusion]. Many things don’t need to be verbalised to be understood. We didn’t get any help from any side," another player said while opening up on the matter.

Nazrul's statement shook people at the BCB office as well, with many taking exception to his comments. "He [Nazrul] had said something different before and is saying something else now. He himself had declared previously that the team will not go. It was never the BCB’s or the players’ decision to make, so, there is no scope of shifting the responsibility," a BCB director said.

Nazrul clarifies his statement

However, after his U-turn statement went viral, Asif Nazrul took to social media to clarify his stance in the matter. He admitted that the decision to not participate in the World Cup was taken by the government while also mentioning that the cricket board and players decided to forego the mega event in the interest of nation's dignity.

"Since the beginning of January, I have clearly stated in various remarks that the decision not to play in the World Cup in India was the government’s, based on security risks. I fully stand by that statement. Despite financial losses, the deprivation of playing, and the fear of further penalties, they [BCB and players] complied.

"In this sense, the primary credit for the decision to forego the World Cup, in the interest of the safety of the people and the nation’s dignity, belongs to them. I acknowledge that during the press conference, I failed to explain this properly due to an unprepared response. I reiterate firmly: the decision not to participate in the World Cup was made by the government," he wrote on social media.

BCB to try and break ice with BCCI during IND vs PAK game

Meanwhile, it is understood that the BCB President Aminul Islam will make an attempt to break the ice with the BCCI during the India vs Pakistan clash in Colombo on Sunday, February 15. Notably, India are scheduled to tour Bangladesh for a white-ball series later this year which is doubtful for now given the strained relations between the two countries.

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