Bangladesh Test captain Nazimul Hossain Shanto spoke about the pressure on his teammates as the T20 World Cup in India approaches.
Published January 10, 2026
Bangladeshi cricketers are often forced to hide the impact of controversies during preparations for and at major tournaments, despite how outside noise affects them, Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.
Uncertainty hangs over Bangladesh’s participation in the Twenty20 World Cup after the Bangladesh Cricket Board asked the International Cricket Council to move World Cup matches outside India due to safety concerns.
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“We haven’t had good results in any World Cup. Last time (2024 T20 World Cup) we had some good chances but we couldn’t convert them,” Shanto said.
“Before a World Cup you always notice that something happens and as players who have played in one or two of these tournaments, I can say that it affects us.
“But we are professional cricketers so we act like it doesn’t affect us. You knew it affected us. It’s not easy. It’s better that these things didn’t happen. I think the players are still trying to put everything aside to perform well.”
Bangladesh, who have never won a World Cup title, are scheduled to play three World Cup matches in Kolkata next month.
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks between Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
Hundreds of people protested near the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi last month after a Hindu factory worker was beaten and set on fire for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district.
According to multiple Indian media reports, the ICC has told Bangladesh that they must play the match in India, which is co-hosting it with Sri Lanka, from February 7 to March 8 or they must forfeit the match.
However, the BCB dismissed the ultimatum claims as “completely false” and said it would work with the ICC towards a mutually acceptable solution.
“I would also like to add that this is out of our control,” said Shanto, who is not included in the T20 World Cup squad.
“No matter where we play in the World Cup, at the end of the day the players have to act like they don’t care about anything and I think they’ll do well for the team.”
