Dhaka: Bangladesh government’s Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul addresses a press conference on the issue of Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India, citing security concerns, in Dhaka on Thursday, January 22, 2026. (IANS)
Mumbai, January 23 (IANS) The claims of consultation with players over their decision not to play the T20 World Cup matches in India have fallen flat after the cricketers claimed they only got a message from government sports advisor Asif Nazrul, but there was no discussion about what to do.
Asif Nazrul had claimed that he had discussed the matter with the members of the national cricket team when he met the players at a hotel in Dhaka on Thursday. The players, a news report claimed, were only told that the national team would not travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and it was never meant to be a consultation, Telocom Asia Sport told in a report on Friday.
"It was never meant to be a consultation. That was the feeling among the players. Even the possibility of exclusion from the tournament did not alter the government’s stance.
Several players, speaking to Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) on condition of anonymity, said their consent was never sought and that the decision had already been finalised before they entered the room.
“They made the plan directly and said it’s not happening. Earlier, they would sit with us and hear us out. But now, they’ve already said we’re not going,” a top cricketer said.
Another player was even more blunt. “It was a direct order from the government that it’s not happening,” the player told www.telecomasia.net.
According to the players, the meeting felt more like a formality than a discussion. “They made up their mind and had taken the decision earlier, and later came into the meeting,” one said. “It is not like any decision was taken, taking our views into consideration.”
The report said that while the players offered their opinion, they sensed from the outset that the outcome was non-negotiable. “We did give our opinion, but we understood from the beginning that they had already decided that we’re not going to play the World Cup in India,” another added.
'Huge blow’ to Bangladesh cricket
The report said the fallout has unsettled not just the current squad but also former players and coaches. A former national cricketer-turned-coach expressed deep concern at the direction Bangladesh cricket now finds itself heading.
“Look, it is a huge blow for Bangladesh cricket because cricketers are disappointed to miss the chance of playing the showpiece event,” he said.
He warned that the consequences could extend far beyond a single tournament. “If we take the ICC vote into consideration, it suggests we don’t have many friends in the ICC boardroom. After all that has happened, it will surely impact our relationships with other ICC members, and that could make things very difficult in the coming days.”
From the board’s perspective, the situation is being framed as a matter of long-term survival rather than short-term sporting ambition. One senior board official stressed that Bangladesh cannot afford to ignore the financial realities tied to ICC participation.
“Our revenue is generated through ICC funding, and if the ongoing crisis has an impact on it, we will certainly face hard times,” the official told Telecom Asia Sport.
He was candid about Bangladesh’s commercial limitations. “We are not a team whose TV rights are sold at a very high rate, nor do we have massive sponsors. We cannot afford to be careless about the funds we receive from the ICC.”
With players feeling sidelined, former figures warning of isolation, and officials bracing for financial strain, Bangladesh cricket stands at a crossroads. What was labelled a meeting may ultimately be remembered as a moment when a decision was delivered, not debated.
