“Unfair to Cricket”: Pakistan Slams ICC’s Expulsion of Bangladesh from T20 World Cup

By Lions Roar Sports Desk

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (Sunday, January 25, 2026) — Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has come out in strong support of Bangladesh, calling the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to expel them from the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup “grossly unfair.”

The ICC took the drastic step yesterday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially refused to travel to India—the tournament’s host—citing significant security concerns. In a lightning-fast move, the ICC announced that Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the tournament lineup.

🏏 “No Room for Double Standards”

In a press conference today, Mohsin Naqvi made it clear that Pakistan stands firmly with their neighboring cricket nation.

• The Stance: Naqvi argued that Bangladesh is a “major stakeholder” in world cricket and cannot be excluded simply because they raised legitimate safety fears.
• Double Standards: “There cannot be two sets of rules,” Naqvi told reporters. “You cannot tell one country they can do whatever they want while forcing another to do the exact opposite. Bangladesh has been treated unfairly, and they must play in the World Cup.”
• Regional Support: The PCB’s support signals a potential rift within the ICC, as other member nations begin to weigh in on the controversial expulsion.

📉 Crisis at the BCB: Director Resigns as Tensions Mount

The fallout from the ICC’s decision has already claimed its first high-profile victim within the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Ishtiak Sadeque, a prominent Director of the BCB and Chairman of the Cricket Development Committee, officially handed in his resignation yesterday, January 24, 2026.

• The Resignation: Sadeque, a close ally of BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul, cited “personal reasons” for his departure.
• Personal Regret: In his resignation letter, Sadeque expressed deep personal regret, stating that he felt he could no longer “do justice” to his position given the current crisis.
• Impact: As the head of the Development Committee, Sadeque’s exit is a major blow to the BCB as they scramble to navigate the legal and diplomatic fallout of being booted from the World Cup.

📊 T20 World Cup 2026 Update: The Replacement