Who Took the Call? Bangladesh Advisor Says Asif Nazrul Players, BCB Chose Boycott

Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul said players and the BCB decided on the T20 World Cup boycott, weeks after claiming it was a government call.

Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup exit has taken a new turn after sports advisor Asif Nazrul stated that the decision to boycott was made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the players, not the government. Scotland later replaced Bangladesh in the tournament.

The team had pulled out amid political tension after the BCCI released Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for IPL 2026. The BCB requested the ICC to move its matches to Sri Lanka. The ICC declined the proposal and eventually removed Bangladesh from the event after weeks of talks.

In January 2026, Asif had said the call rested with the government. Around that time, Litton Das and other players indicated they were not consulted. Asif later met the squad to explain the situation.

“The purpose of the meeting was simply to explain to the players why the government took this decision and give them the context. I believe they understood. That was the purpose — nothing else. I think we did not get justice from the ICC. Whether we will play in the World Cup or not is entirely a government decision,” he had said then.

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Nearly three weeks later, Asif has taken a U-turn. He explained the board, and players took the decision and chose to boycott the tournament to protect national dignity.

“There is no question of regret. This decision was taken by the BCB and the players, as they made sacrifices for the safety of the country’s cricket, the safety of the people, and to protect national dignity,” Asif told reporters on Tuesday.

The ICC recently confirmed no sanctions against the BCB and offered Bangladesh hosting rights in the 2028–31 cycle.