'Thank you, Pakistan': Bangladesh sports adviser sparks BCB-PCB collusion buzz after India boycott call

The post appeared moments after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that the Salman Ali Agha-led side would not take the field against India

Updated on: Feb 5, 2026, 19:25:00 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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If not earlier, Bangladesh Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul’s Facebook post thanking Pakistan has certainly fuelled speculation over possible alignment between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against India.

Bangladesh are not part of the 2026 T20 World Cup

The post appeared moments after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated that the Salman Ali Agha-led side would not take the field against India in their Group A clash at the 2026 T20 World Cup next week in Colombo.

Nazrul publicly thanked Pakistan for what he described as solidarity with Bangladesh after Pakistan’s decision to forfeit the match against India.

ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav breaks silence on Pakistan’s boycott of India T20 World Cup match: ‘We didn’t say no. They did’

“Thank you, Pakistan,” Nazrul wrote on Facebook. “Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his country has decided to boycott the match against India in protest of Bangladesh being excluded from the T20 World Cup.”

Pakistan was the only member board to back Bangladesh’s concerns during last month’s ICC meeting. Bangladesh had refused to travel to India for the group-stage matches, citing “security concerns”, following a government decision taken in the aftermath of the BCCI’s January 3 directive to Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.

During their standoff against the ICC, Bangladesh had approached Pakistan for diplomatic and cricket support, which was followed by PCB even writing a letter to the governing council supporting BCB and even offering Pakistan to host Bangladesh's group games in the World Cup.

After the ICC rejected BCB’s plea and subsequently removed Bangladesh from the tournament, replacing them with Scotland, Pakistan took a firm stand against playing India.

Sharif’s remarks in Islamabad on Thursday marked the first official statement from either the Pakistan government or the PCB explaining the rationale behind the boycott.

“We have taken a very clear stand on the T20 World Cup that we won’t play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field,” Sharif said. “We should stand by Bangladesh, and we believe this is an appropriate decision. We are with Bangladesh.”

The ICC, however, is still awaiting an official communication from the PCB before initiating any disciplinary process, of which Pakistan was informed after the government’s social media post last Sunday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
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.Read More

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