Bangladesh ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz discussed the matter once more months after the T20 World Cup 2026 ended, subtly criticising the Bangladesh Cricket Board for the lost chance at one of the major international cricket tournaments.
Following the then-BCB president’s demand that the World Cup be moved from India for socioreligious reasons, Bangladesh was selectively expelled from the ICC and replaced by Scotland. Despite being qualified for the World Cup, the Bangladeshi cricket team was forced to forfeit the chance to participate because neither the ICC nor the BCCI bowed to the demands.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz has now thoroughly addressed the matter in an interview with RevSportz, despite the fact that several cricket players from the nation voiced their concerns during the tournament’s elimination.
When the interviewer enquired about whether the BCB ought to have sent the cricket team to India to compete in the T20 World Cup, Miraz politely responded that it was a political matter.
“I believe that was a political matter. Beyond that, I don’t have much to say,” Mehidy Hasan said.
As political as it was, the Bangladeshi government and the cricket board were also involved in the decision-making process, which supports Mehidy Hasan assertion after the altercation took on a Hindu-Muslim aspect and was essentially caused by Mustafizur Rahman’s expulsion from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2026 IPL.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz laments the chance for future athletes
However, Mehidy Hasan also voiced their disappointment at not being able to participate in a World Cup competition. He discussed how the political conflict between Bangladesh and India dashed the hopes of the younger generation and up-and-coming talent.
“Every athlete aspires to participate in a World Cup. A lot of our younger players also desired that chance. Mehidy Hasan Miraz continued, “Unfortunately, it occurred due to political issues, and everyone is aware of the situation.”
What transpired following Bangladesh’s rejection?
It’s interesting to note that the Bangladeshi Ministry of Youth and Sports also initiated an official investigation, which marked a significant change in direction after the nation’s historic withdrawal from the ICC competition.
Dr. AKM Wali Ullah, the Additional Secretary of Administration, led the investigation. The panel was led by attorney Faisal Dastagir and former national team captain Habibul Bashar, who serves as the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s head selector.
The panel concluded that the previous administration’s sudden request for the ICC to move Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka due to unproven security threats constituted a diplomatic failure.
The former administration has now been publicly denounced under Tamim Iqbal, with the current leadership claiming that both the government and the previous BCB administration were to blame for the Bengal Tigers’ loss of a chance to compete on such a global scale.
BCB is eager to restore relations with India.
Since then, the two countries’ cricketing relationship has been severely strained as a result of Bangladesh’s boycott of India. After denying each other media rights for their respective cricket matches, both countries have engaged in a cold war.
However, there has been a noticeable improvement in India-Bangladesh cricket ties recently. Bangladesh recently sought media partners to express interest in a possible bilateral white-ball series between India and Bangladesh in September 2026. Although the BCCI has not yet approved the deal, it is clear that the series’ mutual development is ongoing.
