Decisions today will echo for 10 years: Excaptain Tamim Iqbal warns Bangladesh over T20 World Cup call

2026-01-09

NEW DELHI: Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to tread carefully amid the uncertainty over the national team’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup in India, warning that decisions taken in haste and driven by “public emotion” could have long-term consequences for Bangladesh cricket.

Bangladesh have expressed reluctance to travel to India for the tournament, scheduled to begin on February 7, and have sought a venue shift to co-host Sri Lanka citing security concerns. The issue escalated after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders on instructions of the BCCI, citing unspecified reasons, amid reports of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh.

“The situation is a bit critical at the moment, and making a sudden comment right now is difficult,” Tamim was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “But one thing you must keep in mind is that many issues can often be resolved through dialogue if everyone comes together.”

Tamim stressed that the broader standing and future of Bangladesh cricket must remain central to any decision. “You have to consider where Bangladesh stands in world cricket and what the future of Bangladesh cricket could be and then make decisions accordingly,” he said.

His comments come at a time when sports ministry advisor Asif Nazrul has taken a hard-line stance on a venue change, invoking national pride, while reports suggest the Aminul Islam Bulbul-led BCB is not entirely aligned internally.

“We consider the Bangladesh Cricket Board an independent body,” Tamim said. “Of course, the government plays a very big role, and discussions with the government are necessary. But if we consider the BCB an independent body, then it must also have the authority to make its own decisions.”

Tamim cautioned against reacting to crowd sentiment. “Public opinion will always vary. When we play, spectators say many things driven by emotion. But if you start making decisions based on all that, you cannot run such a big organisation,” he said. “Today’s decisions will have an impact ten years down the line.”

The 36-year-old also criticised the stream of daily public statements from officials. “After taking a final decision and completing internal discussions, that decision should then be communicated publicly,” he said. “If you announce every step publicly, it creates unnecessary uncertainty.”

Tamim concluded by urging calm and clarity. “Whatever the final decision is, I only hope that Bangladesh cricket’s interests are prioritised above everything else.”