Bangladeshi cricketers have begun boycotting matches across formats and competitions following scathing remarks by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) executives weeks before the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Two Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) matches were postponed indefinitely on Thursday after the teams failed to turn up at the Dhaka venue, and the boycott began a day after BCB director Nazmul Islam slammed the country’s top cricketers.
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Islam was sacked by the BCB hours after the first match of the BPL was postponed.
The move comes amid uncertainty over the venue for Bangladesh’s match in the T20 World Cup, to be held between February 7 and March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
Here’s what we know about the issues arising in Bangladesh cricket.
Why did Bangladeshi cricketers boycott BPL matches?
The players, represented by the Cricket Players Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), were acting in response to the outrage of BCB executive Islam, who suggested the team should return “hundreds of millions of taka” (tens of millions of Bangladeshi currency) the board spent on players over the years when they failed to win international tournaments.
Which games have been affected by player boycotts?
The first match affected by the boycott was the BPL match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
The match was scheduled to start at 1pm local time (7pm Japan time), but tournament officials were forced to postpone the match as players from both teams arrived at the stadium.
The second match of the day, between Rajshahi Warriors and Sylhet Titans, scheduled to start at 6pm (12pm GMT) at the same venue, has also been postponed.
What are the demands of the players?
The players had called for Islam to be removed from the board.
What did Nazmul Islam say about cricketers?
Islam, who chairs the BCB’s finance committee, was responding to a question about the possibility of paying compensation to players if they miss the upcoming T20 World Cup due to Bangladesh’s refusal to play in India.
The official turned the question around and said that after the board spent the money on them, “[the issue of compensation]never arises.”
“We’re spending a lot of money on them and they can’t do anything else elsewhere,” he told the media.
“Have we won any international awards? What have we done at any level? Now we’ll ask for a refund every time they can’t play. Give it back. Why is there an issue of compensating the players?”
How has BCB responded to the demands of the players?
The board initially distanced itself from the violent attacks on Islam, saying it regretted his comments.
“Such comments do not reflect the values, principles or official position of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, nor are they consistent with the standards of conduct expected of individuals charged with the responsibility of contributing to Bangladesh cricket,” the BCB said in a statement on Wednesday.
After the players boycotted BPL matches, the board accepted the players’ demands and sacked Islam on Thursday.
“Having considered recent developments and having regard to the best interests of the organization, the BCB Chairman has decided to remove Mr. Nazmul Islam from his duties as Chairman of the Finance Committee with immediate effect,” the board said.
Did the players call off their boycott after Islam’s dismissal?
Neither the CWAB nor the players have issued a statement regarding the status of the boycott since Islam’s dismissal.
How and why could Bangladesh miss the T20 World Cup?
The BCB has asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches from India, citing player safety and security concerns.
In response to the BCB’s request, the ICC said it had deemed Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata’s Eden Gardens safe for the Bangladesh national team.
However, the BCB stood by its position and asked the ICC to reconsider its request.
Why doesn’t BCB want to send a team to India?
The spat between the BCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) erupted after the latter directed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the squad for this year’s tournament.
Although the BCCI did not give a specific reason for removing the star left-handed paceman from the IPL, it is believed that the decision was taken due to the recent political tensions between the two countries.
What if Bangladesh does not play the T20 World Cup match in India?
If the ICC refuses to move Bangladesh’s match to Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament with India, and the Tigers refuse to travel, not only will they miss out on the tournament, but the players will also suffer a financial blow as they will not receive match fees.
