Nasser Hussain Calls Out ICC’s Double Standards Over the Ill Treatment of Pakistan and Bangladesh Ahead of T20 World Cup

Englishman Nasser Hussain warned that the ICC's persistent pressure on Pakistan and Bangladesh could harm their cricket development.

Nasser Hussain Calls Out ICC’s Double Standards Over the Ill Treatment of Pakistan and Bangladesh Ahead of T20 World Cup

Nasser Hussain criticized the ICC for what he thought was its unfair behavior towards Pakistan and Bangladesh. (via Mint)

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Former England captain Nasser Hussain criticized the ICC and the BCCI for their handling of the T20 World Cup preparations, pointing out what he sees as unfair treatment towards Pakistan and Bangladesh. He accused the global cricketing body of favoritism in the chaotic build-up.

The situation began with Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the 2026 IPL season, with Kolkata Knight Riders being forced to release him. The 30-year-old’s exit triggered a chain of events, with Bangladesh refusing to travel to India for their 2026 T20 World Cup fixtures, citing security concerns. The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request, which came only a month before the tournament, was, however, rejected by the International Cricket Council.

After negotiations between the BCB and the ICC broke down, Bangladesh ultimately pulled out of the tournament, with Scotland replacing them. The situation plunged into uncertainty after the Pakistan Cricket Board publicly supported Bangladesh while indicating that they might also opt out of the T20. Although Pakistan did not withdraw from the tournament completely, it announced a boycott of the February 15 fixture against India, as a form of protest against the BCCI’s dominance.

The fiasco has drawn former England captains like Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain to strongly despise the ICC’s actions. Hussain was critical of the ICC’s consistency, asking whether the cricketing body would take a similar hard-line stance if the Indian team had decided against travelling to a country.

The 57-year-old emphasized the long-term consequences of the ICC’s rigid stance, calling for equitable treatment for all teams. He said on the Sky Sports Podcast:

The only question all sides ask for is consistency. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India must be treated the same… That’s why the great games between India and Pakistan or India and Bangladesh have become one-sided over time.

Hussain also highlighted what he saw as the ICC’s double standards, favoring the BCCI because of the massive revenue it generates. The ex-England captain showered praise on the BCB’s stance, noting that Bangladesh stood forth with its players, including Mustafizur Rahman. He even praised Pakistan for having backed Bangladesh, firmly advocating for the need to separate politics from cricket. 

I actually quite like Bangladesh sticking to their guns, standing up for their players. I quite like Pakistan sticking up for Bangladesh as well. At some stage, someone should say, enough with this politics.

Pakistan’s refusal to play against India in the T20 World Cup could also lead to ICC penalties for the Men in Green for having violated a prior agreement. The match was scheduled for a neutral venue in Sri Lanka, as part of a mutual decision not to play in each other’s countries.

Sri Lanka Cricket expresses discontent with Pakistan, Mohsin Naqvi, over T20 World Cup controversy

Amidst the uncertainty over the India-Pakistan match at the 2026 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is reportedly unhappy with the position taken by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi. The SLC has sent a letter to the PCB, raising concerns about the potential impact of the cancellation.

India-Pakistan Sri Lanka Cricket letter
Sri Lanka Cricket has written a letter to Pakistan, urging them to change their stance. (via RevSportz)

India and Pakistan were scheduled to face each other at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15. However, only a few days ago, Pakistan announced that it would not take the field, while adding that they would play their remaining Group A matches against the Netherlands, USA and Namibia. The ICC has urged PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi to reconsider the decision, with Sri Lanka Cricket now joining in. 

The relationship between the SLC and Naqvi seem to have taken a hit, after the latter recently handed important Asian Cricket Council positions to Bangladesh and UAE. With Sri Lanka left empty-handed and the potential financial and tourism losses due to the uncertain India-Pakistan WC match, SLC secretary Bandula Dissanayake confirmed the board’s communication with the PCB regarding their concerns.

SLC and PCB has been forced into a crisis only last year, after several Sri Lankan players sought to leave Pakistan following a suicide bombing in Islamabad. In fact, it was a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 that had halted cricket in Pakistan for years. 

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