BCB Probe Names Asif Nazrul As Key Figure In T20 World Cup Exit
An inquiry into Bangladesh's late withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup has pointed to the former sports adviser, while noting the board backed the decision too.
A Bangladesh Cricket Board investigation committee set up to examine the country's controversial exit from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has identified a person it holds primarily responsible. According to the findings, former youth and sports adviser Asif Nazrul is the key culprit behind the decision that kept the team out of the tournament.
Bangladesh pulled out weeks before the event, which was staged in India in February, citing security concerns. The ICC moved quickly to fill the gap, bringing in Scotland, and the competition proceeded without the Tigers — a sequence that left Bangladesh facing heavy criticism.
The three-member inquiry, convened by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and led by Dr A.K.M. Oli Ullah, also included former captain and current chief selector Habibul Bashar and barrister Faisal Dastgir. Its report states that the BCB and the sports ministry acted together to withhold permission for the team to travel, meaning the board was part of the process even as Nazrul was singled out as the main figure behind it.
Nazrul had earlier maintained that the players were aware of the situation and accepted the call. The committee appears to have dismissed the notion that the squad should carry responsibility, with Dastgir stating that Bangladesh ought to have taken part in the World Cup.