Bangladesh’s three-time World Cup campaigner, Nazmul Hossain Shanto has criticized the BCB for the recent controversy over Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He has said that such controversies often affect the mentality of cricketers even though they do fine work.
BCB has been in constant controversy since the interim government replaced the former government, which was found guilty of several crimes by the country’s highest court of judiciary.
The growing unrest within both the countries has affected cricket to a great extent, as Bangladesh players have been sidelined from the IPL, IPL telecast in India has been stopped and to top it all, the BCB has decided not to send its team to India for the T20 World Cup.
BCB is troubling its own cricketers due to World Cup uncertainty
For the BCB, the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the IPL and his stipulation of not traveling to India for the T20 World Cup has become a matter of ego. BCB is hurt by the indifference shown towards the player.
Not only the ICC or the BCCI, but even the players of Bangladesh are unsure about their team’s participation in this prestigious tournament, on the other hand, they are also not sure about the venues and conditions that they will have to face while playing the matches.
Bangladesh cricketers are reported to be having sleepless nights as their participation remains uncertain as the BCB has approached the ICC with a do-or-die threat of not taking part in the upcoming global tournaments.
Nazmul Hussain Shanto made a scathing attack on BCB
Bangladesh’s Test captain and former all-format captain, Nazmul Hossain Shanto sided with the players as they are wearing the facade of having no problems despite facing mental torture due to uncertainty, which definitely makes them stressed.
“First of all, if you look at our World Cup results, we have never really played consistently good cricket. Last year, we played well, but there were even better opportunities, and we couldn’t take advantage of them. But you will see there is always something before every World Cup. I can say this from my experience of three World Cups – it has an impact,” Nazmul Hussain Shanto told reporters on Friday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
He also believed that his team was not the best in ICC tournaments, but was influenced by the BCB’s direction, as he said, “Now, we behave as if nothing affects us, that we are completely professional cricketers. You guys also understand that we are acting – it is not easy.”
Nazmul Hussain Shanto further said that players should not dwell on these incidents and instead look forward to giving their best for the team. He said, “I don’t have detailed knowledge of how it happened, or how it could have been controlled. Still, I would say that it is difficult to even act under such circumstances.”
Nazmul Hussain Shanto rebels against BCB director for mindless Tamim Iqbal controversy
In another major internal controversy, the names of BCB director M. Nazmul Islam and former captain Tamim Iqbal have gone viral on the internet. When the great Bangladesh batsman asked BCB to focus on cricket and travel to India without any unnecessary delay, the BCB director called him an “Indian agent” on social media.
“Very sad, very sad because such comments were made about a cricketer – a former captain and in my opinion one of the most successful cricketers of Bangladesh, who we have grown up watching,” the Test captain said.
Nazmul Hussain Shanto said, “As players, we expect respect – whether one is a former captain, a regular player, successful or not. At the end of the day, a cricketer expects respect.”
Nazmul Hussain Shanto said, “The most sad thing is that the cricket board is supposed to be our protector. We expect them to protect us. As a player, I cannot accept such comments.” He claimed that if someone needs to be corrected, parents should do so at home and not in front of everyone. Such a claim is unacceptable and as a player he also rejects it.
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