How political pressure and anti-India stance blew Bangladesh's T20 WC dreams, ex ACC CEO explains

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided against sending its team to India for its scheduled T20 World Cup league matches, citing security concerns for its entourage. And after the ICC swapped them with Scotland despite numerous efforts to find a middle ground, a shocking revelation has grabbed headlines. Former Asian Cricket Council (ACC) CEO Ashraful Haque has alleged political pressure and inability to shrug off anti-India stance by now-ousted BCB chief Aminul Islam Bulbul and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul as among the reasons behind Bangladesh’s absence from the 20-team tournament.

Although the matter escalated after IPL franchise KKR released the only Bangladeshi player picked in the December auction (Mustafizur Rahman) over unrest and regular attacks on minorities in Bangladesh during that time, Pakistan’s uncalled-for intervention further dented the situation, leading to Bangladesh’s exit from the T20 WC.

Ashraful has slammed Bulbul for falling into the anti-India trap and the political agenda around it, on which Nazrul rode during that time, leading to the disaster.

"Absolutely, absolutely, and I was surprised that Aminul Islam Bulbul walked into the trap. It's like Asif Nazrul probably told him forcefully that we will not go to India, and right in the next minute, Bulbul says, "We will not go to India." That was a mistake, I think and had Bulbul stood up on his grounds that "we will go to India, because the players want to go to India and we have signed a legal agreement with the organisers that we have to fulfil," Ashraful said, as quoted by NDTV.

Haque also suggested that the decision to boycott the tournament was shattering and a massive disappointment for Bangladesh.

"Then maybe the government would have changed its mind, or it would have gone to a higher authority for the decision. I think Asif Nazrul decided on his own, and I don't think he understands the CEO of cricket either. He was riding on a common anti-India feeling in Bangladesh and said it on the basis of that. Completely uncalled for and a big setback for Bangladesh cricket," he continued.

Meanwhile, former Bangladesh captain and opener Tamim Iqbal has recently been appointed the new BCB president, leading the 11-member ad-hoc committee. The Bangladesh government first dissolved the existing BCB board led by Aminul over ‘gross irregularities’ during the October elections, before handing over the baton to Tamim, who had his differences with the board, leading to his retirement.

At 37, Tamim is the youngest BCB chief, and now vows to partake in the upcoming board elections.

"Of course, I will participate in the elections. When there is a free and fair election, I will request everyone who is interested to participate. The board's cricketers, organisers, and everyone should participate. We have to create that atmosphere where everyone can come and hold elections.

"We have been given a responsibility today. Whoever gets this job talks about development. My team feels that we have to correct Bangladesh's reputation. We have to fix the damaged reputation of the last year and a half. It is our most important job right now,” he continued.