Photo via Hindustan Times

Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup withdrawal exposed: Inquiry report reveals what led to the controversial call

An official investigation in Bangladesh has concluded that Asif Nazrul, who served as the youth and sports adviser in Mohammad Younus's interim administration, was primarily accountable for the national cricket team skipping the 2026 T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The boycott arose amid geopolitical friction following violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, which had prompted the BCCI to bar Bangladeshi cricketers from IPL 2026 and forced the Kolkata Knight Riders to part ways with Mustafizur Rahman.

While Nazrul had previously asserted that the squad endorsed the boycott, the probe noted that the Bangladesh Cricket Board simply yielded to the ministry's authority at the time.

M. Oli Ullah, working alongside chief selector and ex-national captain Habibul Bashar and Barrister Faisal Dastgir.

Speaking publicly on the outcome, Dastgir confirmed that Nazrul drove the decision and emphasized that the national side should have traveled to compete in the tournament regardless of the surrounding circumstances.