Tamim Iqbal says Bangladesh mishandled 2026 T20 World Cup withdrawal
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Tamim Iqbal said on August 31, 2026 that his board could have handled the country’s withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup better, telling sports platform Not Out Noman that negotiations reached a "point of no return" too early.
Bangladesh pulled out of the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns after Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the Indian Premier League, a decision that occurred amid heightened tensions between Bangladesh and India. Tamim said Mustafizur's release was "obviously something that the whole country was disappointed with" and added, "This was in no way the right thing to do, this should never have been done." He also noted the pride around qualification, saying, "we are going to play a World Cup. Every single person in Bangladesh celebrated like anything when we first qualified for the World Cup."
Reflecting on the handling of the dispute, Tamim said, "I feel that we could have negotiated the thing much better," and added that Bangladesh "went to a point of no return right from the beginning." He argued the escalation of negotiations limited the possibility of a resolution.
Tamim said there were negotiation details he could not make public, stating: "I am saying this, I am in the ICC now, I am an ICC member because of BCB. There were a lot of things said and done during those negotiations, which, if I make public, you will be surprised." He followed that by saying, "I won't be able to do it because I need to maintain that respect. You will be surprised at what things were said, but let's not go into that discussion."
On the relationship between sport and politics, Tamim warned against conflating the two, saying, "If you go to a point of no return on the very first day, then that (solution) won't happen. And I feel in some cases, sports should remain as sports." He pointed to Iran playing in the United States during an ongoing war as an example of sporting engagements continuing despite political tensions.
Tamim reiterated his view that Bangladesh "should have definitely played the World Cup" and that negotiations "should have definitely [been] done in a better way," adding, "And that's it, I cannot say many things even though I know them." His remarks come as the BCB and BCCI seek an alternative window for India's proposed tour of Bangladesh, with India originally scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in August and September; the series will not take place in the previously discussed window.
Tamim said discussions over rescheduling are ongoing and both boards remain in contact, stating: "That it (India series) won't happen hasn't been decided yet." He added, "Both boards are very sincere that this thing happens. Both BCCI and BCB and we are looking at windows as well, which time what can be done. Roughly a date, around which we are also thinking whether it can be done at this time or not." "If I saw the intention was negative, then today I wouldn't even have said this word to you, 'Let's see what happens, we're hopeful.' Intentions are very positive," he said.
