Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has said that the decision not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 was taken by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the national cricketers, shifting responsibility away from the government amid ongoing controversy over the boycott.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Nazrul said the call to skip the tournament was a collective one made by the board and the players in the interest of national dignity and security.

“There is no question of regret (not playing the World Cup). This decision was taken by the BCB and the players as they made sacrifices for the safety of the country's cricket, the safety of the people and to protect national dignity,” he said.

Nazrul added that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has assured Bangladesh that there will be no sanctions for missing the tournament and that the country will be considered for hosting a future ICC event.

“The ICC has said there will be no sanctions and that Bangladesh will be considered for hosting an international tournament. This is a brilliant achievement. I salute the Bangladesh Cricket Board,” he added.

The latest remarks mark a significant reversal from Nazrul’s earlier position. On January 22, following discussions with the BCB and senior players, he had stated that participation in the T20 World Cup was “entirely a government decision,” citing security concerns and dissatisfaction with the ICC’s handling of Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches outside India.

At that time, several players, including senior batter Litton Das, had indicated that they were not consulted before the announcement of the boycott, prompting a meeting between the adviser and the squad.

However, in his fresh comments, Nazrul described the withdrawal as a decision jointly taken by the BCB and the cricketers, framing it as a voluntary sacrifice rather than a government-imposed directive.

Bangladesh were subsequently replaced by Scotland in the tournament after the ICC declined their proposal to relocate matches. The world body later confirmed that no punitive action would be taken against the BCB.

Nazrul’s change in stance has added a new dimension to the episode, raising questions over where the decision-making authority ultimately lay, even as the government now publicly credits the board and players for the move.