Shakib Al Hasan has described Bangladesh’s last-minute decision to miss February’s T20 World Cup as “a blunder from the government side”, arguing the move denied both players and supporters a rare global stage.
“I think it was a big loss. It was a great miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned,” Shakib said during a short media appearance at a European T20 promotional event in Mumbai. “We as a country love watching our players playing in the World Cup. We are a cricket-loving country. I think it was a blunder from the government side that they took the decision not to participate in the World Cup.”
That decision, taken by the country’s interim authorities on security grounds, prompted the ICC to replace Bangladesh with Scotland – the first time since the 1999 tournament that the Tigers have been absent from any World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) pressed for its fixtures to be shifted to Sri Lanka, yet the ICC board voted down the proposal, bringing negotiations to a stand-still.
Tension between Dhaka and New Delhi had flared after Mustafizur Rahman was suddenly withdrawn from the IPL. Political friction grew, and when clearance for the national side’s travel never arrived, the BCB could only watch as their spot disappeared.
Inside Bangladesh, fingers were pointed in several directions. Former sports adviser Asif Nazrul initially insisted the BCB had merely followed government orders; later, once elimination was confirmed, he suggested the board had acted alone. Either way, the relationship with the BCCI took a knock.
Shakib, who last represented Bangladesh in October 2024 but continues to turn out for franchises, believes the boards can patch things up quickly, provided they share a pitch before long. “I think things will get better,” he said. “The effort should be made [to improve relationship between BCCI and BCB]. I think one or two series if Bangladesh visit to India or India go to Bangladesh; like I heard there’s a series that is likely to happen in August or September. When that happens, I think the ice will break, and things will get better.”
An India visit in late summer – pencilled in as a white-ball tour – would serve that purpose. It would also allow Shakib, now based in the United States and facing several outstanding legal cases back home, to gauge whether an international return is realistic. The all-rounder has said privately he would like one final series in each format before calling time.
Off the field, change continues. Long-time team-mate Tamim Iqbal, with whom Shakib fell out before the 2023 World Cup, is poised to become BCB president. Shakib welcomed the appointment without hesitation. “I think he will have a long-term plan if he becomes president,” he noted. “Hopefully Bangladesh cricket will get benefit from him.”
Plenty still needs sorting – be it political clearance, board diplomacy or simply healing old wounds – yet Shakib’s message was clear enough: missing a World Cup hurt, and the sooner Bangladesh get back into the biggest tournaments, the better for everyone involved.
