T20 World Cup boycott was a collective decision of players & board: Nazrul

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and players collectively decided to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for “national dignity” and not because of a government directive, the country’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul has said.

His statement comes weeks after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the tournament, following unsuccessful negotiations with the ICC over venue changes. 

Nazrul clarifies stance on boycott

Nazrul had earlier said that security concerns raised by the government were the primary reason behind Bangladesh’s refusal to play their matches in India. However, he has now underlined that the cricketers and the board were equally involved in the decision-making process. According to him, the players accepted sacrifices in the larger interest of the nation’s safety and integrity, dismissing suggestions of regret over missing the global event

Failed talks and ICC’s response

Bangladesh’s exit from the competition followed the ICC’s rejection of its request to shift fixtures to Sri Lanka. Despite the withdrawal, cricket’s governing body chose not to impose sanctions, a development Nazrul described as a positive outcome. He also pointed out that the ICC has indicated Bangladesh would remain in consideration to host future international tournaments, which he termed a significant achievement for the BCB.

Pakistan’s solidarity and resolution

The controversy widened when Pakistan announced a boycott of its match against India in support of Bangladesh. That stand-off, however, was resolved after extensive negotiations involving cricket administrators and government representatives. Bangladesh later urged Pakistan to honour its fixture for the larger good of the sport, leading to the withdrawal of the boycott call.