Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha brought the ICC-Bangladesh issue back into focus during the T20 World Cup 2026 captains’ day press conference in Colombo on Thursday, February 5. Salman expressed disappointment over Bangladesh not being part of the marquee tournament, calling their absence a pity.
Bangladesh were excluded from the tournament after they declined to travel to India for their group-stage games. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asked the ICC to move their matches out of neighbouring country India due to security concerns, but the governing body refused to change the existing schedule.
Bangladeshis Are Our Brothers – Salman Ali Agha Reignites Debate
After Bangladesh were removed from the tournament, Pakistan confirmed their participation but decided to boycott the match against India scheduled for February 15.
During the captains’ day press conference, Salman Ali Agha was asked about Bangladesh’s absence and said it was unfortunate they were no longer competing. He added that Bangladesh had always supported Pakistan and described them as brothers.
“Bangladeshis are our brothers; we are grateful for their support for Pakistan. It’s a pity that they are not playing in the tournament,” Salman Ali Agha said, as quoted by RevSportz.
Salman Ali Agha shared his enthusiasm about leading the national cricket team at the World Cup. The skipper hopes the team delivers strong performances under his leadership.
“This is my first World Cup as a captain & I’m very excited about it. I hope the team will perform well under my captaincy,” Salman Ali Agha added.
Bangladesh Sports Advisor Thanks Pakistan PM for Supporting Bangladesh
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Youth and Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul publicly thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after Pakistan decided to boycott their match against India. He said the move showed support for Bangladesh following their removal from the tournament.
“Thank you, Pakistan,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
Nazrul called the boycott a protest against Bangladesh’s exclusion. He also quoted Sharif’s remarks from a Pakistan cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday. The PM explained that the decision was taken carefully, and added that politics should not enter sports.
Uncertainty Over India-Pakistan Clash; ICC Responds to PCB’s Stance
India and Pakistan have been placed together in Group A of the T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka are hosting jointly. All matches involving Pakistan will be played in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 7. The much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan is scheduled for February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The India-Pakistan match remains one of the biggest fixtures at any ICC event, and the teams are usually placed in the same group despite political tensions. Following Pakistan’s plan to boycott the match against India, questions have emerged over what could happen if the two sides meet later in the tournament.
The International Cricket Council reacted to Pakistan’s stance and said it hopes the Pakistan board will reconsider its decision regarding selective participation.
