The fallout from Bangladesh’s decision to skip the T20 World Cup 2026 has intensified, with senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin launching a stinging attack on the country’s former sports advisor, Asif Nazrul. In a series of candid remarks, Salahuddin accused the former official, who served under interim leader Muhammad Yunus of misrepresenting the facts surrounding Bangladesh’s withdrawal from T20 World Cup 2026.
U-Turn on the World Cup Withdrawal
The controversy stems from Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India for their group-stage matches, citing “security concerns” and the fallout from Mustafizur Rahman’s exit from the IPL. While Nazrul initially maintained that the decision was a government directive, he later pivoted, suggesting the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players themselves made the call to “protect national dignity.”
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Bangladesh national cricket team assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin calls ex-sports advisor Asif Nazrul a ‘liar’ for changing T20 World Cup stance. pic.twitter.com/rLto1RdC8Q
— Debasis Sen (@debasissen) February 20, 2026
Salahuddin expressed profound disbelief at this change in narrative, particularly given Nazrul’s background as a professor at Dhaka University. “He told such blatant lies,” Salahuddin told reporters. “I am a teacher, and we generally lie a bit less. That he would say such lies so openly. To be honest I can’t even imagine it. How will I even show my face to boys?”
The coach emphasized that a person from the country’s highest educational institution making such contradictory statements was unacceptable.
The Psychological Toll
Beyond the political back-and-forth, Salahuddin highlighted the devastating emotional impact the boycott had on the players. He noted that for many cricketers, participating in a World Cup represents the culmination of a lifelong dream, one that was destroyed in seconds by the decision.
The assistant coach revealed that the news left several players in a state of profound distress. “two players of mine were mentally distressed for five days, completely,” he shared. He added that bringing them back to the field for other domestic tournaments was a major challenge, noting that while national sacrifices are understood, the personal loss for these athletes was immense. Salahuddin argued that the players had little to no say in the boycott, despite Nazrul’s later claims to the contrary.
Tournament Moves Forward
As Bangladesh deals with the internal fallout and a transition in government, the T20 World Cup has proceeded without them, with Scotland filling their spot in the competition. The new state minister for sports has recently signaled a desire to mend bilateral ties and resolve disputes that led to the absence, but for the current squad, the damage remains deep.
Background and Context
ICC had originally rejected Bangladesh’s request to move their matches to Sri Lanka and issued a 24-hour deadline for their participation, which the board ultimately declined under the previous regime’s guidance. Salahuddin’s public condemnation marks one of the strongest internal rebukes of the political influence that sidelined the “Tigers” from the T20 World Cup 2026.
