 "How Pakistan’s support may have led Bangladesh towards a very costly mistake")
Bangladesh cricket may have just walked into one of the most damaging moments in its recent history, and Pakistan’s vocal support may have played a big role in pushing it there. The consequences will not be limited to just losing a place in a major tournament; they will also be financial, with reports already suggesting a 50 per cent drop in their revenue.
The exclusion of Bangladesh from the 2026 T20 World Cup was not something the International Cricket Council (ICC) wanted. In fact, the ICC tried to avoid this outcome after weeks of discussions, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) rigid stand, combined with encouragement from Pakistan, appears to have left the global body with no other option.
On January 24, the ICC officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland, the highest-ranked team to miss qualification, after the BCB failed to submit its response within the stipulated time. The ICC Board had asked for confirmation within 24 hours after voting against the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches earlier this week.
Bangladesh had refused to travel to India for the tournament, citing security concerns after rising diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The situation was triggered after Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026, apparently due to political pressure on the BCCI over attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country.
The BCCI did not give any reason behind the move, which angered many people in Bangladesh, as Rahman was the only player from the nation sold at the IPL auction last year. Soon after, the Bangladesh government banned the broadcast of IPL 2026 and the BCB formally raised security concerns about travelling to India for the World Cup.
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View AllThe ICC, after repeated assessments, made it clear that there was no credible threat to the safety of Bangladeshi players, officials, or fans. Despite this, the BCB refused to soften its stance and demanded that all of its matches be moved to Sri Lanka under a hybrid model.
Why ICC refused to bend rules for Bangladesh
Sri Lanka was chosen as co-host for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and last year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup only because of Pakistan’s refusal to travel to India. An agreement was reached last year between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to play their ICC matches at a neutral venue until at least 2027.
The deal was brokered by the ICC after the Indian government refused to grant permission to the BCCI to send its team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The ICC was forced to make an exception in this case because of the heightened tensions between the two nations and the kind of money their matches bring during any global tournament – because of which replacing them was never an option.
But Bangladesh’s case is quite the opposite. To begin with, their request came after the T20 World Cup schedule had already been announced, and it was not feasible to make last-minute changes. The ICC also did not want to set a wrong precedent that could undermine the reputation of global tournaments.
Bangladesh also don’t command the same kind of commercial or broadcast value that would force the ICC to bend its rules or make special arrangements at such a late stage. Bangladesh knew this very well, which is why many expected them to eventually soften their stance on the matter.
Pakistan’s vocal support to BCB
This is where Pakistan come into play. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi openly backed Bangladesh and criticised the ICC for what he called “double standards” because the board had already made the exception for India and Pakistan. He went a step further by threatening that Pakistan could boycott the World Cup in solidarity with Bangladesh.
Earlier, PCB was the only member, along with the BCB, that voted for the relocation of Bangladesh’s games. This may have given the BCB the impression that it was not alone and that the ICC could be pressured into changing its decision.
“Bangladesh has been treated unfairly. I said the same in the board meeting of the International Cricket Council. You cannot have double standards, where one country can make whatever decision whenever and do the total opposite for another country,” Naqvi had said.
“That is why we have taken the stand that Bangladesh is being treated unfairly and should be allowed to play the World Cup in any case. They are a major stakeholder and this injustice should not be done,” he added.
Pakistan’s history of backing down
However, history suggests that Pakistan’s threats do not always translate into action. Pakistan has often taken strong public positions in moments of conflict with India and cricket’s governing bodies, only to back down later when faced with serious consequences.
A clear example came during the Asia Cup 2025. After India refused to shake hands with Pakistan players, the PCB threatened to pull out of the tournament. The team was even asked to stay back at the hotel before a match against the UAE unless the ICC acted against a referee Pakistan accused of bias.
When the ICC refused to take action and the PCB realised that not playing would mean forfeiting the match, the stance changed quickly. The team was rushed to the stadium, and the PCB issued a statement claiming the referee had apologised. Pakistan played the match, and the issue quietly faded away.
Unfortunately, the BCB did not have the same room to retreat due to pressure from its government and consistent encouragement from Pakistan. Despite reports suggesting that Bangladeshi players wanted to play the tournament, as it would be an important part of their careers, the BCB and the current interim government unilaterally decided to pull out if the ICC did not agree to their demands.
The BCB was given a 24-hour deadline to confirm whether it would play as per the original schedule after the ICC Board meeting this week. Instead of giving a clear answer, Bangladesh raised fresh objections. Reports suggest the response came after the deadline had already passed.
The ICC then decided to officially announce Scotland as a replacement and placed them in Group C alongside England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies. Bangladesh eventually accepted the decision and confirmed it would not challenge the ICC further. But the damage was already done by then.
Is Pakistan just pretending to support?
Pakistan, meanwhile, are continuing to make noise. Naqvi has again threatened to boycott the World Cup in support of Bangladesh and said the final decision will be taken at the government level once the Prime Minister returns to the country from his foreign visit.
“We will do what the government of Pakistan instructs us to do. The Prime Minister is not in the country right now. We will take a final decision after he returns,” Naqvi told reporters on Saturday.
On the other hand, the Men in Green are also preparing to take part in the event because they announced a 15-member squad on Sunday. If Pakistan eventually decide to play, which they are most likely to, Bangladesh will stand alone as the biggest loser in this saga.
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