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Bangladesh decided to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after the ICC rejected their request to shift Group C matches out of India on account of security reasons.
Bangladesh coach slams former sports advisor. (Picture Credit: AFP)
Bangladesh men’s cricket team assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has slammed former sports advisor Asif Nazrul for changing his stance on Bangladesh’s participation within the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He labelled Nazrul as a ‘liar’ after he claimed that the choice to boycott T20 World Cup 2026 was taken by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and cricketers.
Bangladesh decided to boycott the continuing shortest-format mega-event in India and Sri Lanka after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected their request to shift Bangladesh’s Group C matches out of India on account of security reasons.
“He told such blatant lies,” Salahuddin was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz on Friday. “I’m a teacher myself, and teachers generally lie a bit less. That he would say such lies so openly — I truthfully can’t even imagine it. How will I even show my face in front of the boys? He took such a U-turn.”
“He’s a teacher and a teacher at Dhaka University. An individual from the best educational institution of my country saying such lies — we will’t accept this. How can we accept this? He said one thing earlier and later took a U-turn,” he added.
Based on Salahuddin, Bangladeshi cricketers were left heartbroken when the previous sports advisor imposed his decision on the players in the course of the meeting slightly than listening to their views.
“Look, when a boy goes to play a World Cup, he carries his dream — his 27-year-old dream — with him. You destroy that dream in a single second. Nice, if it’s a rustic’s decision taken for national reasons, they may sacrifice for the country. But in case you discuss loss, I’ll talk only about personal loss. Personally, you completely ended a boy’s dream. I do know that two of my players went numb for days, completely lost,” said Salahuddin.
“For the sake of the country, I’m also able to sacrifice many things, and the boys are ready too. But did I put my hand on a boy’s head and say, ‘Son, you couldn’t play for this reason’? If things had been communicated properly, I feel many things might have been accepted,” he added.
February 20, 2026, 16:36 IST
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