Yousuf questions ‘fairness’ of ICC decision to exclude Bangladesh from T20 WC

Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf criticised the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to replace Bangladesh in the upcoming T20 World Cup, set to be played in Sri Lanka and India from February 7, questioning its “fairness”.

“The combined cricket viewership of New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Nepal, the Netherlands, Ireland, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan is broadly equivalent to the viewership Bangladesh generates on its own,” the legendary batter wrote on his official X account yesterday.

He further pointed out that while the aforementioned 10 nations combined account for “178 million” in viewership, Bangladesh alone accounts for “176 million”.

“In a sport driven by global audiences, sidelining Bangladesh’s legitimate security concerns raises serious questions about consistency and governance. When accommodation becomes selective, fairness disappears. Cricket cannot be administered by influence -- only by principle,” he stated.

Rejecting the Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) request to relocate Bangladesh's matches outside India, the ICC announced last Saturday that Bangladesh had been replaced by Scotland in the tournament, citing logistical challenges in altering the schedule so close to the start of the event.

In a statement, the ICC said the decision was taken after it found no “credible or verifiable security threat” to the Bangladesh national team in India.