The 2026 T20 World Cup is just a couple of days away, and the uncertainty over the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan contest remains intact.
Nasser Hussain: The Opinion
Amidst the ongoing boycott row between the ICC and PCB, former England captain Nasser Hussain has said that he likes the move of Pakistan and Bangladesh sticking to their guns.
Bangladesh, who have already been replaced by Scotland in the upcoming edition of the multination tournament, decided not to play their matches in India following the release of Mustafizur Rahman after being picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2026 IPL auction.
ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh was followed by an official statement from the government of Pakistan, which said that the team will boycott its match against India scheduled to be played on February 15.
Nasser Hussain: What They Said
In the words of Hussain, “I quite like Bangladesh sticking to their guns. They stood up for their player, the Fiz. And I quite like Pakistan. I know it’s political. I quite like Pakistan sticking up for Bangladesh. And at some stage, someone’s got to say enough with this politics. Can we just get back to playing cricket?”
Hussain added, “So maybe it is a real crunch point because the only way Pakistan can hurt the ICC or even India is with the money and the finances of that India-Pakistan game. That’s the only way.”
Also Read: Srikkanth: Former Selector’s No Nonsense Take on Boycott Row
Nasser Hussain: The Disappointment
Hussain also expressed his disappointment with politics seeping into cricket and called it depressing while alluding to the recent edition of the Asia Cup, which saw India refusing to shake hands with Pakistan. According to the former English batter, “Fairly depressing to be honest. Sport, cricket, and politics have always been intertwined. There’s always been a link between sport and politics but it just seems recently that link is more and more. It used to be the exception, it’s now the norm and it’s not just politics and politicians, it’s players as well. Players I’ve seen in the last couple of years, as I say, it’s fairly depressing, not shaking hands, not lifting the trophy. Cricket used to unite nations and countries that were finding difficulties, and now it’s pushing people apart.”
He further said, “You’ve just got to remember where this recent crisis started. Rahman is playing for Kolkata in the IPL, or he’s in the squad, and inexplicably, he’s just suddenly the BCCI say, No, you’re going to take him out of that squad because of the ongoing situation with Bangladesh and India and everything from that one decision snowballed.”
Nasser Hussain: The Call
Although Hussain said that he has some sympathy for the ICC as well as changing the schedule at the last minute wouldn’t be easy he also questioned cricket’s governing body of maintaining the same stance had the request came from India.
Hussain, who refused to travel to Zimbabwe as the captain of England during the 2003 World Cup, said “I have some sympathy with the ICC there, that the late decision to say right, we’re not travelling. So I guess the real comparison would be, and this is the real question that only the ICC can answer, if it had been India and in the future if India a month before a tournament say our government does not want us to go and play in that country in a world cup, would the ICC have been so firm and say you know the rules, bad luck, we’re knocking you out. That is the only question that all sides ask for is consistency.”
He went on to say, “You have to treat Bangladesh the same as you treat Pakistan and the same as you treat India. Now India fans will say cry more, we have the money, it’s all down, but with power comes responsibility. If you are constantly knocking Bangladesh or Pakistan, their cricket diminishes, and hence the great games we’ve seen in the past between India and Pakistan or India and Bangladesh become one-sided, as they have.”
Do Follow Cric Hit on X: https://x.com/CricHit20