Dhaka: Bangladesh cricketers have disclosed they were not consulted before the Bangladesh Cricket Board decided to boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 in India, revealing that a meeting with players on January 22 was merely to inform them of a decision already made by the government and board officials.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, players went into the meeting hoping to change the BCB's stance but found the outcome had already been determined. "The meeting was called not to give our consent, as it was made out to be initially. Rather, we were called so that we are aware of the development in the ongoing crisis," a Bangladesh cricketer said on condition of anonymity. "They made up their mind and decided what they would do before coming into the meeting."

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Both T20 captain Litton Das and Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto spoke in favour of travelling to India during the meeting, expressing the team's readiness to participate. However, their views carried little weight.

Players Express Frustration

The sense of frustration among players is palpable. "They didn't ask. They made the plan directly and said it's not happening. Earlier, they would sit with us and hear us out. But now, they've already said we're not going," one cricketer said. "The thing is, Bangladesh's government call was already made and nothing else but that's the real story. It was a direct order from the government."

Another player expressed despair over the situation, stating, "Cricket is finished. If we don't go, it will be our cricket's loss. Who cares?"

Last-Ditch Appeal Likely to Fail

In a final effort to salvage their participation, the BCB has written to the ICC's Dispute Resolution Committee requesting that the matter be referred for review. However, this appeal is widely expected to fail. According to clause 1.3 of the DRC's Terms of Reference, "The Committee shall not operate as an appeal body against decisions of the ICC or any decision-making body established under the ICC's Memorandum and Articles of Association."

The ICC Board of Directors voted 14-2 on January 21 in favour of keeping Bangladesh's matches in India, with only Pakistan supporting the BCB's position. ICC Chairman Jay Shah is in Dubai preparing for a final decision, with Scotland on standby as a replacement.

Background

The crisis began when the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL 2026 amid political tensions between the two nations following reports of violence against minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh could lose around Rs 240 crore in revenue, approximately 60 per cent of their annual income, by not participating in the tournament.