Syed Ashraful Haque is a former CEO of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and ex-Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official. The former cricket administrator recently narrated how political manoeuvring from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi led to Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal.
The world’s top 20 teams in the sport’s shortest format are in a heated contest for a chance to become twenty-over international cricket champions. Bangladesh decided to sit out of this edition after an unresolved political spat triggered the squad’s boycott. Former BCB official Haque believes PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi orchestrated Bangladesh’s withdrawal.
Haque Says “Naive” BCB Chief Influenced by Naqvi to Withdraw Bangladesh from T20 WC 2026
Syed Haque says Pakistan’s cricket chief manipulated BCB chair Aminul Islam to pull Bangladesh out of the T20 World Cup 2026:
“Possibly, though I prefer not to discuss politics. As a cricket administrator, I focus on honesty and commitment. Aminul Islam, likely being naive, was influenced by Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, the current ACC president, who persuaded him to go along. At the end of the day, who won?” Haque asked during a recent interview.
Withdrawing Bangladesh from T20 WC 2026 An “Injustice” to Players, Haque Says
Haque believes current BCB chief Islam is unfit to lead the country’s cricket governing body. His scathing assessment hid no criticism of chief Islam’s negligence that cost star Bangladeshi players a chance to feature on the world stage:
“He lacks an understanding of international cricket diplomacy. He walked into a trap, overly concerned with pleasing the government rather than protecting his players, who are the nation’s greatest assets. Players like Liton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, and Najmul Shanto are in their early 30s, missing this World Cup is an injustice to them,” the former ACC chief added.
Bangladesh Govt Withdrawal Decision Was “Premature” and “Drastic” – Haque
The former BCB official also believes his country’s government made hurried decisions at the early stages of diplomatic issues with India:
“I always believed the decision taken by the Bangladesh government at the time was premature. There was no justification for such a drastic decision simply because Mustafizur Rahman was not allowed to play in the IPL in India. We had ample time to negotiate with the BCCI and, if necessary, the Indian government. The ICC organised the tournament and provided security, which they fulfilled. If we still had concerns, the government could have requested additional assurances regarding player safety,” Haque concluded.
Bangladesh in T20 WCs
Bangladesh’s best-ever finish in T20 WC history came during the 2024 edition. The Tigers ranked 7th among 20 teams after all matches played in that tournament. Bangladesh is still searching for an elusive maiden T20 WC title, and boycotting the latest competition does not support their desire to become champions.
| Year | Round Reached | Position | GP | W | L | T | NR | Captain |
| 2007 | Super 8s | 8/12 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Mohammad Ashraful |
| 2009 | Group Stage | 10/12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Mohammad Ashraful |
| 2010 | Group Stage | 10/12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2012 | Group Stage | 10/12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Mushfiqur Rahim |
| 2014 | Super 10 | 10/16 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | Mushfiqur Rahim |
| 2016 | Super 10 | 10/16 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Mashrafe Mortaza |
| 2021 | Super 12 | 11/16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Mahmudullah |
| 2022 | Super 12 | 9/16 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Shakib Al Hasan |
| 2024 | Super 8 | 7/20 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Najmul Hossain Shanto |
| 2026 | Qualified; Withdrew | |||||||
| Total | 0 Titles | 9/10 Appearances | 45 | 12 | 32 | 0 | 1 | — |
BCB Scraps ‘A+’ Category After Withdrawal from T20 WC 2026
The announcement of changes to central contract categories trailed the BCB’s withdrawal of their squad from scheduled T20 WC 2026 matches. There is no ‘A+’ in the 2026 BCB central contracts list, and total pay for the highest-grade players reduced by 20% in this schedule. See the full list of players under central contract according to their category below:
CATEGORY A:
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed
CATEGORY B:
Mushfiqur Rahim, Mominul Haque, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Towhid Hridoy, Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana
CATEGORY C:
Soumya Sarkar, Jaker Ali, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Khaled Ahmed
CATEGORY D:
Saif Hassan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tanvir Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Hasan Murad, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan
What Next for Bangladesh in ICC Competitions?
Bangladesh looks set to participate in future ICC competitions after their withdrawal from the T20 WC 2026. The South Asian side’s recent central contract release from its governing body and revamped lineup point to its readiness for ICC events.
Will the BCB – BCCI Row End Before ODI World Cup 2027?
There is a high chance that the BCB and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will resolve their differences before ODI World Cup 2027 action begins. A series of high-profile meetings could bring Bangladesh back into the fold as both cricket boards target stability in Asian cricket.
It is unclear if both teams will be in the same group during scheduled ODI WC 2027 games, as events are yet to be announced.
