Salman Agha calls Bangladesh 'Brothers' amid T20 World Cup controversy
Bangladesh, initially scheduled to play in Group C, was replaced by Scotland last month after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India due to security concerns.
Pakistan skipper Salman Agha referred to the Bangladesh team as their brothers in the captain's press conference ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026
3 min read Last Updated : Feb 05 2026 | 7:15 PM IST
In the midst of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 controversy, Pakistan men's cricket team captain Salman Ali Agha has expressed his disappointment over Bangladesh's exclusion from the tournament, calling Bangladeshis "brothers" and emphasizing the unfortunate nature of their absence.
Bangladesh, initially scheduled to play in Group C, was replaced by Scotland last month after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to travel to India due to security concerns. This decision was made despite efforts by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to convince Bangladesh to participate. As a result, Bangladesh will not feature in the upcoming T20 World Cup, a development that has stirred both disappointment and controversy across the cricketing world.
Salman Ali Agha, while reflecting on this development, said, "Well, they are our brothers. Thank you very much for them supporting us. And I'll say they can support us in the tournament as well. And it's really sad to see them. They are not playing the World Cup. But yeah, thank you so much for them supporting us. And hopefully, they can carry on supporting us in the tournament as well." His words underscore the camaraderie between the two nations, despite the ongoing tension surrounding the issue. Agha’s statement also highlights the broader impact of Bangladesh's exclusion, not just on the cricketing community but also on the diplomatic ties between the countries.
Following the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland, Pakistan initially threatened to boycott the tournament, but on February 1, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed their participation. However, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, also announced that Pakistan would forfeit their match against India on February 15 in Colombo, as a protest against Bangladesh’s removal. Sharif stated, "We will not play the match against India because there should be no politics on the playground. We took this decision very thoughtfully. We should totally stand by Bangladesh." Bangladesh thanks Pakistan
In a gesture of gratitude, Bangladesh’s sports adviser, Asif Nazrul, thanked Pakistan for their support, posting on social media: “Thank you, Pakistan. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his country has decided to boycott the match against India in protest of Bangladesh being excluded from the T20 World Cup."
The ongoing standoff between the ICC, Bangladesh, and Pakistan has not only dominated the headlines but has also raised questions about the politics intertwined with international sports tournaments.
 "Salman Agha calls Bangladesh 'Brothers' amid T20 World Cup controversy")
