American statesman and scientist Benjamin Franklin once said, "Anger begins in folly, and ends in repentance." If our cricket administrators had understood this, we would have been spared the “cricket torment” of the past few days. The situation that had developed regarding Bangladesh's participation in the T20 World Cup would have been very shameful if the Bangladesh team ultimately went to play in India. Not going to the World Cup is extremely unfortunate, and the way the decision was made is not less embarrassing.
Many people beyond just cricket enthusiasts have to be concerned about cricket. There are cricket bureaucrats and boards who run cricket in the country, as per their directions. Above them are the sports ministers or advisors who have the ‘final say’ on cricket, and their words are often unquestionable.
There is another group of people who believe they understand their country’s “dignity and the good and bad of cricket” better than anyone else. Lately, their influence has been more noticeable in India, as with many countries. These people were the first to bowl a googly against Bangladesh.
In the IPL auction, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought Mustafizur Rahman at nine crore rupees. Following this, Indian spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur demanded Mustafizur’s removal from the IPL. Along with Devkinandan, several Hindutva leaders supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also declared that if any Bangladeshi played in the IPL, they would damage the pitch on which the match was to be held.
The cricket boards of this region operate at the whims of politicians, and the Indian cricket board is no exception. They pressured KKR to exclude Mustafizur. Naturally, the cricket-loving public of Bangladesh and its cricket leaders erupted in anger. When Mustafizur was ousted from the IPL, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave no reasons. Everyone speculated their own.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board should have sought to understand the reason. Knowing the reason would have made it easier for the authorities in Bangladesh to seek a remedy. The country’s cricket administrators could have kept the crisis and solution confined to the IPL and the cricket boards of the two countries; at least they could have tried. However, without determining the cause or attempting reconciliation between the two boards, Bangladesh’s cricket authorities entangled the IPL with the World Cup issue. Added to this was the political slogan, “The days of slavery are over.” The connection between Mustafizur’s playing or not playing in the IPL and "slavery" is something truly to ponder.
Whether sending our cricketers to the World Cup in India is safe or whether playing there would belittle the country needs consideration. However, such decisions could have been taken more judiciously, methodically, and without mixing politics or taking instant decisions. Cricket’s gains and losses, the team’s safety, and the honour of the country are all extremely important.
Our sports advisor announced that the Bangladesh team would not play in the World Cup in India. Unfortunately, there was little discussion about the potential consequences of this decision. Former captain of the Bangladesh national cricket team, Tamim Iqbal, acutely felt the repercussions of raising questions. While speaking for cricket’s interests, he became branded as an “Indian agent.” With this backdrop, the country’s cricketers decided to refrain from playing in local games. Although they have temporarily returned to the field, the players remain deeply aggrieved. Due to our cricket administrators, not only is international cricket at risk, but domestic cricket also faces threat.
Amidst the cricket-political tangles, nobody considered what gains or losses not playing in the World Cup would bring to Bangladesh cricket. The officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) are all alumni of the Indian cricket board. ICC Chairman Jay Shah is the son of India’s hardline Hindu nationalist Home Minister, Amit Shah. It should have been understood from the outset that they would not heed Bangladesh’s requests.
Bangladesh is not going to India and is not playing in the T20 World Cup. The extremists in India have achieved double victory. They wanted to keep Mustafizur out of the IPL, and now they’ve managed to exclude the entire Bangladesh team from the World Cup. This is hitting two birds with one stone.
Eighty per cent of the ICC’s total revenue comes from India, with India receiving 38 per cent of that. It's no secret that the massive financial contribution the BCCI makes to the ICC allows it to influence decisions on scheduling, revenue distribution, and tournament organising. Countries like England and Australia have to comply with this. India’s ‘feudal’ attitude towards cricket is nothing new.
On 17 June 2025, The New York Times published a report on cricket titled "India Reigns Supreme in the Cricket World, But Is Their Dominance Good for the Game?" The report pointed out, “The biggest question about cricket’s future arises from the growing belief that India, which receives nearly 40 per cent of the total revenue earned by the ICC, prioritises its own interests over the greater responsibility for the overall welfare of the game.”
Many have said that not playing in the World Cup would not greatly harm the country’s cricket. Our cricket’s grandeur and glitter largely come from international cricket, specifically the ICC. And reaching this level of international prestige was mainly contributed by the country's cricketers.
Financial thinking would reveal a long list of monetary calculations.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has already received $500,000 from the ICC for World Cup preparations. I hope the ICC won’t demand this money back due to not playing in the World Cup. Bangladesh will also lose the team prize money based on the World Cup points table. The $26.9 million Bangladesh receives from the ICC’s revenue-sharing funds could also be at risk.
There will be financial losses for the cricketers too. They won’t receive prize money or match fees from the World Cup. Cricketers earn match fees for each game.
Amid all this, on 17 January, Bangladesh’s Under-19 team played in the ICC Under-19 World Cup against India in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Before the game, Bangladesh captain Jawad Abrar did not shake hands with the Indian captain. The BCB offered a lengthy explanation for this.
Bangladesh is not going to India and is not playing in the T20 World Cup. The extremists in India have achieved double victory. They wanted to keep Mustafizur out of the IPL, and now they’ve managed to exclude the entire Bangladesh team from the World Cup. This is hitting two birds with one stone. It can be easily assumed what the mindset and morale of the players are, who cannot go to play in the World Cup. The emotional state of the silenced Bangladeshi players is naturally disrupted.
Fifteen directors were present at the ICC board meeting to consider Bangladesh’s appeal, and Bangladesh received only one vote. Only Pakistan voted in favour of Bangladesh’s appeal. One might question why Bangladesh’s cricket authorities could not garner support from any other country regarding their claim.
Currently, Pakistan is the only friend Bangladesh has in world cricket. The greatest concern is that Bangladesh cricket might be isolated like Pakistan’s for a long time. Pakistan may be happy to have found a companion, but do we have any reason to be joyful?
#Saleh Uddin Ahmed is teacher, writer, and political analyst
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*Opinions are the author’s own
#This article, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.