ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Asif Nazrul, thanked Pakistan on Thursday for showing solidarity after Bangladesh was left out of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Nazrul said on social media that following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement, Pakistan chose not to play its match against India in support of Bangladesh.
He added that the Prime Minister emphasized during a cabinet meeting that politics should have no role in sports. The decision, he said, was carefully made in favor of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh had withdrawn from the tournament on January 22, citing security concerns. The country also said the ICC had not treated it fairly.
After Bangladesh’s withdrawal, Scotland was included in the tournament in its place. Scotland has been placed in Group C alongside England, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal. Its first match will be against West Indies on February 7 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
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According to Nazrul, the situation highlights a new diplomatic dimension in international cricket regarding security, administrative transparency, and impartiality in sports.
