The decision of Bangladesh Cricket Board not to participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup is mired in controversy. According to media reports, this important decision was taken without formal consultation with the players. A report in Cricbuzz has claimed that the ICC’s decision to withdraw from this prestigious tournament was taken much before the start of the meeting.
Was opinion taken from players in the meeting?
It is being told that a meeting was held with the players on January 22, but its purpose was not to take the players’ opinion. After the meeting, BCB officially announced that it will boycott the T20 World Cup citing security reasons. The board said that there are serious concerns regarding the safety of players, spectators and journalists regarding this tournament to be held in India. ICC is not able to resolve these issues satisfactorily.
A senior player of the team, on the condition of anonymity, said that the players were called only to apprise them of the situation and not to take their consent. According to the player, the board and the government had already made up their mind before the meeting. He said that earlier such big decisions were taken after discussion with the players, but this time it did not happen.
The player also alleged that this decision was actually taken on the instructions of the Bangladesh government. According to him, the board had already decided that the team would not go to India and only formal information was shared with the players.
Litton Das and Nazmul Hussain Shanto’s wish
It has also been revealed in the report that during the meeting, players like Liton Das and Nazmul Hussain Shanto had expressed their desire to play in the World Cup. However, in response, government and board officials expressed concern over threats received by Bangladeshi players in the past and the security arrangements at the venue.
Expressing disappointment over this decision, another cricketer said that if Bangladesh does not participate in this tournament, the biggest loss will be to the country’s cricket. He even said that such decisions could put the future of cricket in the country in danger.
As a last effort, BCB had requested ICC to send the matter to the Dispute Resolution Committee. However, looking at the current situation, it is believed that if Bangladesh remains out of the tournament, then Scotland can be included in the 2026 T20 World Cup in its place.
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