Bangladesh missed World Cup due to 'political issues': Miraz

Bangladesh ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz believes the Tigers were deprived of the opportunity to play in a World Cup because of "political issues", saying it was unfortunate that the players missed out on the marquee event.

Speaking to REVSportz -- an Indian digital sports media platform founded by veteran sports journalist Boria Majumdar -- in an interview published on Saturday, Miraz, who is currently playing in the Lanka Premier League in Sri Lanka, reflected on Bangladesh's absence from the 20-team tournament earlier this year.

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"I think that was a political issue. I don't have much to say beyond that," Miraz said.

"Every player dreams of playing in a World Cup. Many of our younger players also wanted that opportunity. Unfortunately, it happened because of political issues, and everyone knows the situation."

Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after refusing to tour India for the tournament, citing safety concerns amid deteriorating political relations between the neighbouring countries.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Bangladesh's request to shift their matches to co-host Sri Lanka, saying it was not feasible to alter the schedule so close to the February 7 start of the tournament.

The standoff followed a flashpoint in which premier fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released by Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders despite being signed at the IPL mega auction, reportedly following directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The move prompted the Bangladesh Cricket Board and state authorities to reiterate their security concerns and seek a hybrid model under which Bangladesh's matches would be played in Sri Lanka -- an arrangement previously reserved only for India-Pakistan fixtures.

Independent security assessments, however, found no credible threat to the Bangladesh team in India, prompting the ICC to reject the venue-change request and retain the original schedule.

Despite the diplomatic tensions, India are scheduled to tour Bangladesh in September for three ODIs and three T20Is. The series had originally been scheduled for August 2025 before being postponed.

"We are very excited about the series. If India comes, it will be a great occasion for our country because it's been a long time since we played against them," Miraz said.

"India are a very strong side, and we know the challenge ahead. We will focus on playing well in our home conditions, and we're really looking forward to the contest."