Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul has declined an invitation to attend Sunday’s India-Pakistan clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, saying it would not feel right to be present while Bangladesh are absent from the ICC T20 World Cup.

“I was supposed to go to Colombo. But then I thought, our national team isn't there, so what would I do if I went?” Bulbul told The Daily Star on Saturday.

Aminul is currently in Dhaka after returning from Kuwait, where he attended a meeting of Asian Cricket Council (ACC).

“Even today, they requested me to come by tomorrow morning’s flight, but I said no. Since our team isn't playing, me going there just to sit around -- does that make sense?”

The 20-team tournament had been clouded by political tensions after Bangladesh declined to travel to India over security concerns and were replaced by Scotland, prompting Pakistan’s initial refusal to play India before reversing their decision following ICC assurances. The breakthrough came after intense negotiations involving ICC deputy chairman Imran Khwaja, Aminul, and Mohsin Naqvi, chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), during talks in Lahore.

The BCB boss said International Cricket Council (ICC) had requested his presence, especially after he played a key role in facilitating Pakistan’s participation in the much-anticipated India-Pakistan fixture.

“They were unhappy [at turning down invitation] because they said you helped organise the India-Pakistan match and did so much. But to me, my team is more important,” he said.