'Cricket must be ruled by principles, not influence'

Pakistani batting legend Mohammad Yousuf has issued a scathing critique of the International Cricket Council (ICC), accusing the global body of compromising the sport's integrity by ignoring Bangladesh's "legitimate security concerns" regarding the T20 World Cup in India.

Yousuf's comments come days after the ICC officially replaced Bangladesh with Scotland following the BCB's refusal to play in India due to safety fears.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, the former captain highlighted the sheer magnitude of the Bangladeshi fanbase to underscore the ICC's strategic blunder.

He pointed out that Bangladesh's population of approximately 176 million is nearly equal to the combined population of ten other cricketing nations, including Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka (178 million).

"In a sport that relies globally on viewership, ignoring the legitimate security concerns of Bangladesh raises serious questions about consistency and governance," Yousuf wrote. He added, "When privileges are granted selectively, fairness is lost. Cricket must be governed by principles, not influence."

Yousuf joins a growing chorus of former Pakistani greats, including Shahid Afridi and Jason Gillespie, in condemning the decision.

Meanwhile, the crisis continues to widen, with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirming on Monday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed the board to keep "all options open"-including a potential boycott-regarding Pakistan's participation.

A final decision from Islamabad is expected by Friday or next Monday.    �"UNB