Bangladesh should have played the T20 World Cup, government probe finds

Bangladesh should have played at the 2026 T20 World Cup. That is the finding of a three-member committee set up by Bangladesh's government, which has blamed the country's former interim government, and in particular former sports adviser Asif Nazrul, for keeping the team at home.

What the committee found

• Formed: 10 May 2026, with 15 working days to report
• Members: Dr A.K.M. Oli Ullah (additional secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, chair), former Test captain Habibul Bashar, and Barrister Faisal Dastagir
• Finding: Bangladesh "should have gone and participated in the tournament"
• Responsibility: the then interim government and Asif Nazrul, described as "primarily responsible"

Dastagir told The Business Standard in Dhaka that the players were ready to travel but "were compelled to follow the government's decision".

Tamim Iqbal, who became president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board this year, said personal grudges "powered by another country's opinion" should not be allowed to destroy the dreams of Bangladesh's players and people. Nazrul has defended the decision on grounds of national dignity and player safety.

How Bangladesh ended up out

1. 3 January 2026: Mustafizur Rahman was removed from Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL squad at the BCCI's instruction, which set off the row.
2. January: Bangladesh asked the ICC to move its World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, the co-host.
3. 24 January: the ICC refused, Bangladesh stayed out, and Scotland took their place.
4. 7 February to 8 March: the tournament was played in India and Sri Lanka without Bangladesh.

The ICC later said it would impose no financial, sporting or administrative penalty on Bangladesh and promised it an ICC event before the 2031 World Cup. ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta called Bangladesh's absence "regrettable".

Where Pakistan comes in

Pakistan was part of the same fight. On 1 February, Pakistan announced it would boycott its 15 February group match against India. The PCB was involved in the talks that produced the ICC's settlement with Bangladesh, and on 9 and 10 February Pakistan reversed the boycott and agreed to play India in Sri Lanka.

For Pakistani fans, the Dhaka report is a reminder of how close this World Cup came to losing its biggest fixture. Bangladesh's committee has now said, in plain terms, that staying away cost its players a World Cup and gained the country nothing.

What happens next

The report puts the blame on a government that is no longer in office, so no penalty for individuals has been announced. For Bangladesh's cricket, the practical gain is the ICC's promise of a future event before 2031. The next big Asian event on the calendar is the men's Asia Cup in 2027, which Bangladesh is hosting in the one-day format.

Plan your cricket spending

If you are thinking about travelling for cricket in the region next year, check the rupee against the taka, the Sri Lankan rupee or the dirham with our currency converter, and follow the dollar rate before you book.