Probe committee holds Asif Nazrul responsible for Bangladesh skipping T20 World Cup
Committee says players were ready to travel to India but had to follow the government’s decision.
Former interim government sports adviser Asif Nazrul was responsible for Bangladesh's non-participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, according to Barrister Faisal Dastagir, a member of the three-member probe committee formed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to investigate the country's absence from the tournament.
The committee released its investigation report at a press conference today (15 September), reports BBC Bangla.
Speaking to reporters, Dastgir said, "Considering everything, the person responsible was then youth and sports adviser Asif Nazrul. The then interim government was responsible."
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He also said the players had been prepared to play and had no objection to travelling to India.
"But they were compelled to follow the government's decision. The person in charge at the time said Bangladesh could not go, citing safety and security reasons," he added.
How the decision unfolded
The controversy began after the country's star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the Indian Premier League 2026 on 3 January this year.
Asif Nazrul, who was then serving as the interim government's youth and sports adviser, protested the decision and called for Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches to be moved from India to Sri Lanka.
Following several meetings with the International Cricket Council and further developments, the BCB and the interim government later decided that Bangladesh would not play in India.
At the time, Asif Nazrul told journalists that the government's position was clear: Bangladesh would not play its World Cup matches in India.
The three-member probe committee was formed by the BCB to examine the circumstances behind Bangladesh's absence from the tournament.
The committee was headed by Youth and Sports Ministry Additional Secretary Dr AKM Oli Ullah. Dastgir and former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar were the other two members.
According to an NSC document dated May 10, the committee was tasked with preparing a detailed report on the matter and submitting its findings to the Ministry of Youth and Sports within 15 working days.
