Bangladesh Players Kept Out Of T20 World Cup Boycott Decision: Report

Dhaka: Questions are now being raised on Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) decision to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026. Some players of the team say that this decision was taken without consulting them. They were only formally called to the meeting, whereas the actual decision had already been taken.

Was the purpose of the meeting really to take opinions?

According to the report of Cricbuzz, a meeting was held with the players on January 22, but there was no intention of taking their consent in it. A player, on condition of anonymity, said that he was called only to give information about the situation.

According to him, “We felt that our opinion would be asked, but even before the meeting started, it was decided that the team would not go to India.”

What did BCB give as the reason for the boycott?

BCB publicly stated that there are security concerns regarding the tournament being held in India. The board claims that he had informed ICC about his problems, but his views were not taken seriously. For this reason he decided not to send the team.

Was this decision taken under pressure from the government?

Players say that this was not just the board's decision. Another player said that this was a direct government order. He said, "Earlier the board used to talk to us, listen to our opinions. This time nothing like this happened. The government's decision had already come and the board implemented the same."

What did the senior players of the team say?

According to the report, in the meeting, Liton Das and captain Nazmul Hussain Shanto had expressed their desire to play the tournament. But officials cited past incidents in which Bangladeshi players received threats and expressed concerns about the safety of spectators and journalists.

Will this decision harm Bangladesh cricket?

Some players are very angry with this decision. One player even said that this will cause a big loss to the cricket of the country. He said, "If we don't go, the loss will be ours. Cricket will go backwards, no one else will be affected."

Now what can happen next?

As a last-ditch effort, Bangladesh has asked the ICC to refer the case to the Dispute Resolution Committee. But looking at the current situation, it is believed that Scotland can be included in the tournament instead of Bangladesh.

If this happens, then this decision will be considered a big blow not only for the game but also for the future of Bangladesh cricket.