Former ICC head of communications Sami-ul-Hasan Burney has traced the ongoing T20 World Cup turmoil back to the BCCI’s handling of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s exit from the IPL earlier this year. The episode, he said, triggered a chain reaction that ultimately led to Bangladesh’s removal from the tournament and Pakistan’s decision to boycott its group-stage match against India.
Mustafizur Rahman was removed from KKR squad last month (AFP)
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The controversy began on January 3, when a BCCI directive, issued amid heightened regional tensions, resulted in Kolkata Knight Riders releasing Mustafizur from their IPL squad without a public explanation. The move sparked outrage in Bangladesh, with the government banning IPL telecasts and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) urging the ICC to shift their T20 World Cup group matches out of India.
With the ICC refusing to accommodate the request and Bangladesh standing firm, the impasse ended with the governing body ejecting Bangladesh from the tournament and naming Scotland as their replacement.
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The decision drew sharp criticism from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the only full member to publicly back Bangladesh’s concerns. PCB accused the ICC of “double standards,” citing its accommodation of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy last year, and threatened to review its own participation in the World Cup.
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The decision drew sharp criticism from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the only full member to publicly back Bangladesh’s concerns. PCB accused the ICC of “double standards,” citing its accommodation of India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy last year, and threatened to review its own participation in the World Cup.
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After days of deliberation, the Pakistan government allowed the team to compete in the tournament but barred it from taking the field against India in the Group A match scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.
Speaking to PTI, Burney said the crisis could have been avoided had the BCCI handled the Mustafizur situation more discreetly.
“Things could have been easily avoided if those responsible had been more careful and avoided public statements about removing a Bangladesh player from an IPL franchise,” Burney said.
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“They didn’t need to say it publicly. The board could have privately instructed the franchise to release the player and the matter would have ended there. Instead, an error of judgment turned the January 3 announcement into a trigger,” he added.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/BCCI made 'judgment error', Mustafizur Rahman's IPL ouster triggered T20 World Cup chaos: Ex-ICC official
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