The Bangladesh national cricket team is hosting New Zealand for an all-format series; The ODI format has been completed, the last T20 match will be played on Saturday. Ahead of the next match, former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has finally broken his silence on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 failure.
After repeated assurances from the ICC about safety, the nation was dethroned, decided not to travel to India, leading to the ICC removing them, and Scotland were replaced by the Bangla Tigers. Shakib Al Hasan has criticized the interim government of Bangladesh and held it responsible for not traveling to India and being removed from the major tournament.
I think it’s a big loss – Shakib Al Hasan on Bangladesh’s exit from T20 World Cup
As the all-rounder believed that it was a mistake and a shameful decision taken by the government, it created a huge blow for the cricket playing nation. Shakib believes that this is an insult to the players and fans who love the game in the country.
“I think it is a big loss. A huge miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned. Because as a country we love to see our players playing in the World Cup and other matches.”
Not participating in the (T20) World Cup was a big mistake by the (caretaker) government: Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan told the media on the sidelines of the EU T20 Belgium 2026 jersey launch event in Mumbai on Wednesday.@shamik100 @ThumsUpOfficial pic.twitter.com/PAQliHGk76
– RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) 29 April 2026
“We are a cricket loving country and a country like Bangladesh not participating in the World Cup was a big mistake. I think it is a mistake on the part of the government that they took the decision not to participate in that World Cup.”
I think this is a better way to move forward – Shakib Al Hasan
Later, Shakib was asked about the future of the game in the country, as he feels that many young players are making waves with their performances and Bangladesh has a bright future in the game. “I think the team is playing really well at the moment. They have just beaten New Zealand. They have won the first T20 against New Zealand. So they are good teams. Earlier, it used to be individual.
“Now it’s more about the team. And I think this is a better way to move forward,” he said. Shakib Al Hasan said, “I don’t know how to suggest names, but most of the players are promising and they are performing really well. There are some experienced players coming along with the new generation. I think we have a good future.”
Shakib on India’s talent pool in cricket, says there are a lot of young players
Shakib Al Hasan also talked about the talent pool of the India national cricket team and the Tata Indian Premier League. “There are a lot of young players coming through… the pipeline in Indian cricket is such that it can last for the next 50 years,” he said. He also stressed that the heavy focus on IPL could impact Test cricket.
Lastly, he concluded by saying, about the upcoming EUT20 Belgium tournament, Shakib said, “It’s always a great opportunity when you play a franchise league where some of the biggest names in the game are there. The young players can learn a lot from them. So I think it will be a great experience for the younger generation and the new players.”
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