Former Pakistan spinner
Danish Kaneria has backed the ICC’s decision to stick to the original schedule after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chose not to travel to India for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Kaneria said Bangladesh opting out would not make much of an impact, remarking that “it’s not like they were going to finish in the top four.”
Bangladesh had earlier informed the ICC of its decision not to travel to India, citing security concerns amid strained relations between the two countries, and requested that its matches be shifted to Sri Lanka. However, the ICC reiterated on Wednesday that the T20 World Cup will go ahead as planned, with Bangladesh’s matches scheduled to be played in India.
The standoff comes in the backdrop of the BCCI directing Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of IPL 2026 amid prevailing political tensions.
Speaking to IANS, Kaneria said, “There was the issue of Mustafizur, who was with KKR, and the team was forced to sideline him because of the kind of unrest and the public reaction. Shah Rukh Khan, who is the owner of KKR, released him. There was no pressure from the BCCI, nor from the ICC. But for humanity, he did what he thought was right.
“The BCCI or ICC never asked Bangladesh not to come to India. They welcomed them. All the teams in the ICC umbrella get foolproof security.”
Referring to the ICC meeting that followed, Kaneria added, “You saw that a meeting took place where all the boards were present—from England to Australia, West Indies—every board that is part of the ICC was there. When voting took place, everyone supported what the ICC proposed. Only the Pakistan Cricket Board voted along with Bangladesh. Just two votes went against it.”
Kaneria also described the developments in Bangladesh prior to the standoff as disturbing on humanitarian grounds.
“When I look at this entire scenario, what was going on in Bangladesh, the kind of situation that developed there, the way our Hindu brothers and sisters and others were treated, the way incidents happened, it was wrong, first of all,” Kaneria said.
“Our religion doesn’t teach violence; it is a religion of love. People were just earning their livelihood, doing their jobs, and they were attacked without any reason. The strange and disturbing acts that took place were very sad. It really makes your heart sink—what is going on?”
The former spinner warned that Bangladesh’s firm stance could hurt the country’s cricketing future in the long run.
“In my view, this is not going to be good for Bangladesh in the long run. If they think that whatever they say should be accepted by the ICC as a decision, that won’t work. Going forward, India will not play with Bangladesh anyway, and that will be a big loss for them.”
Backing the ICC’s decision-making process, Kaneria stressed that major tournaments cannot be altered at the last moment. “I believe the ICC’s decision is absolutely correct, because things cannot be changed at the last minute. You have to prepare the entire tournament structure, schedules, and team travel. You have to change the whole scenario.
“If Bangladesh feels they don’t want to play, then don’t play. It won’t make much difference anyway; it’s not like they were going to finish in the top four,” he added.
Dismissing reports that Pakistan could follow Bangladesh’s lead, Kaneria said the ICC has alternatives in place.
“I don’t think that will happen. Because who suffers the loss? The country that backs out suffers the loss. There are penalties, rules and regulations. If Bangladesh doesn’t go, Scotland can come in. If Pakistan refuses, some other team will come. Namibia is playing very good cricket. The ICC and BCCI won’t be affected.”
Kaneria also pointed out that Bangladesh’s participation could have opened doors for its players in the IPL. “If Bangladesh had come to play the T20 World Cup in India, then the barrier that has been created in the IPL with Mustafizur Rahman would have broken, and more Bangladeshi players would have taken part in the league.”
He further lamented the shift in cricket discourse away from the sport itself.
“Now cricket is no longer being discussed, and only politics is being talked about. Earlier, people talked about wickets, bowling, and techniques. Now everything has become political.”
“Technical cricket doesn’t sell. What sells? Kohli vs Babar comparisons. Shaheen Afridi vs Bumrah comparisons,” he noted.
Calling for restraint, Kaneria urged stakeholders to keep politics out of the sport.
“For the future generation, it is very important that cricket is protected and promoted. Look at cricket as cricket. Let politics remain with politicians and authorities. Do not involve cricket in politics.”
He concluded by emphasising the need for long-term thinking. “You have to look at the long picture, not the short. Now let’s see what the final decision is, though in my opinion it must already have been taken, as nearly 24 hours have passed. What is good for cricket must be done, and as I said earlier, Scotland would already be preparing to face spin.”
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