‘Big loss, a blunder’: Shakib Al Hasan slams Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup no-show
Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has labelled the nation's absence from the 2026 T20 World Cup a "blunder" and a significant setback for cricket-loving Bangladesh. He expressed hope for his own future in the game and praised India's strong talent pipeline, while advocating for a team-first approach for Bangladesh's cricket.
NEW DELHI: Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan did not hold back as he labelled his country’s absence from the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup a “blunder”, calling it a massive setback for a cricket-loving nation. Speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event in Mumbai on Wednesday, the veteran all-rounder delivered a blunt verdict on the controversial decision. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW! Reflecting on Bangladesh missing the global event, Shakib said: “I think that’s a big loss. A great miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned because we as a country love watching our players play World Cups.
” He added, “We are a cricket-loving country and a country like Bangladesh not participating in the World Cup was a big miss. I think it’s a blunder from the (caretaker) government that they took the decision not to participate in that World Cup. ” His remarks come after the International Cricket Council stood firm on Bangladesh’s refusal to travel to India, eventually replacing them with Scotland to preserve the tournament schedule.
On his own future and the possibility of a farewell appearance, Shakib struck a hopeful tone. “We’ll see that later. But I think things will start getting better sooner or later with time.