Bangladesh cricket faced a major setback this year when they were replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup. The situation escalated after Bangladesh refused to travel to India for security reasons, once the fixtures were announced, leaving organisers with limited time to make changes to the schedule. With the event co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, efforts were made to adjust arrangements, but with the tournament approaching quickly, shifting their matches entirely to Sri Lanka was not feasible for the ICC.
The stance taken by Bangladesh ultimately led to their exclusion from the competition. One of the key factors behind the decision was reported tension involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who had been dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders setup earlier in the period, further straining the situation.
The episode has also raised questions about the wider impact on cricket relations between the BCB and the BCCI. Recently, Bangladesh cricket saw administrative changes, with an interim board put in place, headed by former captain Tamim Iqbal, who retired from international cricket in 2023.
Tamim reflects on the T20 World Cup controversy, saying he was among the first to voice concerns. He feels the previous BCB handled the situation poorly and believes the ICC showed flexibility, leaving room for a solution that, in his view, was ultimately missed.
“I was probably the first to speak out when the (T20) World Cup issue happened. What was done, how it was handled by the previous Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) administration, was not right. The ICC was lenient, there was room to find a solution. We should have found it,” Tamim told the Indian Express.
He recalls the historic triumph over Kenya to qualify for World Cup and the nationwide celebrations that followed, using it to underline his disappointment at what he sees as a missed opportunity on the biggest stage.
“Let me go back to 1996-97, how much we fought to win that ICC trophy against Kenya just to qualify for the World Cup. My house was floating in coloured water. People celebrated in the streets. That celebration brought kids into cricket, everybody wanted to be Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Khaled Mashud, Akram Khan. And we gave away a World Cup without even having a proper dialogue. There might be players in that squad who will never play in a World Cup again. That I did not take nicely,” he added.
“No security threat in Bangladesh”
Shifting focus to BCB–BCCI relations after the T20 World Cup episode, Tamim downplays any lingering tension between the two boards. He cites his personal rapport with Mithun Manhas and stresses that Bangladesh is a safe, welcoming venue, adding that a bilateral series would be a natural next step.
“Regarding BCCI, I have played a lot of cricket with (current BCCI president) Mithun Manhas. In the IPL, we were in the same team, he has come to Bangladesh many times to play in Dhaka leagues. Very good rapport. I haven’t had the chance to sit with him in this capacity yet, but I know him well. The country’s security is absolutely brilliant at the moment. There is no issue, no security threat, and it has never been for the Indian cricket team. When India comes here, the whole stadium is packed. People love that contest. I personally don’t think BCB and BCCI have any real issues anymore. A series here would be a great way to take the next step forward,” he added.
