“ICC Was Lenient, There Was Room”: Tamim Iqbal Ends Silence On Bangladesh-T20 World Cup Row

The T20 World Cup 2026 will be remembered for years to come, not only for India’s title triumph but also for the controversies surrounding it. The biggest of these was the exclusion of Bangladesh from the tournament, which paved the way for Scotland’s inclusion. The issue began with the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad following religious tensions in Bangladesh. Citing player safety concerns, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) demanded that their World Cup matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka. However, with the tournament fast approaching, the ICC refused to accept BCB’s request, ultimately resulting in Bangladesh’s exclusion from the competition.

BCB recently formed an interim board, appointing former captain Tamim Iqbal as its head. Speaking to The Indian Express about the controversy, which raised questions regarding BCCI-BCB relations, Tamim expressed disappointment over how Bangladesh let the World Cup slip away.

“I was probably the first to speak out when the (T20) World Cup issue happened. What was done, how it was handled by the previous Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) administration, was not right. The ICC was lenient, there was room to find a solution. We should have found it,” Tamim said.

“Let me go back to 1996-97, how much we fought to win that ICC trophy against Kenya just to qualify for the World Cup. My house was floating in coloured water. People celebrated in the streets. That celebration brought kids into cricket, everybody wanted to be Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Khaled Mashud, Akram Khan. And we gave away a World Cup without even having a proper dialogue. There might be players in that squad who will never play in a World Cup again. That I did not take nicely,” he added.

On his relationship with the BCCI, Tamim said he shares a good bond with Indian board president Mithun Manhas and assured him of safe conditions in Bangladesh.

“Regarding BCCI, I have played a lot of cricket with (current BCCI president) Mithun Manhas. In the IPL, we were in the same team, he has come to Bangladesh many times to play in Dhaka leagues. Very good rapport. I haven’t had the chance to sit with him in this capacity yet, but I know him well,” he said.

“The country’s security is absolutely brilliant at the moment. There is no issue, no security threat, and it has never been for the Indian cricket team. When India comes here, the whole stadium is packed. People love that contest. I personally don’t think BCB and BCCI have any real issues anymore. A series here would be a great way to take the next step forward,” he added.

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