The Mustafizur Rahman controversy continues to intensify, with new voices adding fuel to an already volatile situation. After the Bangladesh pacer was ruled out of the IPL, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) escalated matters by announcing that the national team would not travel to India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, citing security concerns.
The decision has triggered widespread debate across the cricketing fraternity. Now, former BCB secretary Syed Ashraful Haque has entered the discussion with a scathing critique of cricket administration in Asia, launching a direct attack on BCCI secretary Jay Shah and the growing political influence within the sport.
‘Cricket has been hijacked by politicians’ says former BCB secretary, taking a dig at Jay Shah
Haque argued that controversies like the Mustafizur row would never have occurred during the eras of administrators such as Jagmohan Dalmiya, IS Bindra, Madhavrao Scindia, NKP Salve, or even N Srinivasan. According to him, those in charge back then understood the game and its consequences because they had lived it.
“The entire cricket ecosystem in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, everywhere has been hijacked by politicians,” Haque told The Times of India. “Would this ever have happened under people like Jagmohan Dalmiya or IS Bindra? Never. They were mature administrators who understood cricket and the impact such decisions have on players.”
Haque also criticised the growing trend of administrators who, in his words, have never played competitive cricket making decisions that affect careers and international tournaments. He took a pointed dig at Jay Shah, stating that such issues arise when people unfamiliar with the realities of the game take charge.
The former BCB secretary was particularly unhappy with Bangladesh’s stance of potentially skipping the T20 World Cup, calling it a reckless move. He stressed that a World Cup cannot be equated with domestic leagues like the IPL.
“This is a World Cup event, not a domestic tournament. You cannot make rash statements about not travelling for something of this magnitude,” he said, adding that such decisions damage the spirit of international cricket.
Haque further alleged that the BCCI’s stance may be politically motivated. He questioned whether similar action would have been taken if the player involved was someone other than Mustafizur Rahman, suggesting that political and religious sentiments were being exploited.
“Had it been Liton Das or Soumya Sarkar, would the reaction have been the same? I don’t think so. This is what happens when immature politicians take over sports administration. With elections around the corner, cricket becomes a tool,” he claimed.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh originally slated to play four matches in India, three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. As of now, the ICC has not issued an official response to the BCB’s concerns, and there is no clarity on whether Bangladesh’s fixtures will be relocated to Sri Lanka or remain unchanged.
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