Former England captain Nasser Hussain has publicly backed the controversial stance taken by Bangladesh and Pakistan in the run-up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, criticising what he described as excessive political interference in cricket and calling on the sport's governing body to apply its rules fairly.
Hussain's comments, made on the Sky Cricket Podcast with fellow pundit Mike Atherton, come amid mounting tensions over Bangladesh's removal from the marquee tournament - co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka and set to kick off in early February. Bangladesh's government refused to allow its team to travel to India on purported security grounds, prompting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to replace the side with Scotland after a 14-2 board vote. Bangladesh and Pakistan were among the two dissenters.
"I liked that Bangladesh stood firm on their decision. They stood up for their player Mustafizur," Hussain said, referring to pacer Mustafizur Rahman and the flashpoint that many insiders say ignited the row - his controversial omission from the Indian Premier League despite being signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Hussain added: "I liked Pakistan's stance as well."
Hussain lamented the influence of politics on the sport, dubbing recent off-field incidents - including players declining handshakes and trophies - as "depressing" and warning that continuing down this path would erode cricket's appeal and competitiveness. He urged the ICC to treat all member nations equitably, regardless of their financial clout.
The crisis escalated further when Pakistan's government announced a boycott of its scheduled Group A match against India on February 15. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told his cabinet that the decision was a stand of solidarity with Bangladesh and a rejection of politics on the sports field, even as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stopped short of detailing its broader participation plans.
"We have taken a very considered stance and we should completely stand by Bangladesh," Sharif said, stressing the importance of fairness and equality in how cricket's powers are treated. He echoed criticism of the ICC's perceived double standards in handling Bangladesh's exclusion versus how other nations might be treated under similar circumstances.
Bangladesh's Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul publicly thanked Pakistan for its protest move, calling it a meaningful counter to what Dhaka sees as an injustice. Bangladesh officials have also made clear that, absent a reversal by the ICC, the team will not play in India under current conditions.
The ICC has acknowledged the positions of both boards and called on Pakistan to consider the long-term implications for global cricket, emphasising the need for a resolution that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders. But with tensions running high, critics say the row highlights widening fault lines in international cricket - between governance, commercial imperatives and geopolitics - just days before the World Cup begins.
