Bangladesh’s cricket community expressed collective shock at some recent remarks from Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul, in which he appeared to shift responsibility for the country’s decision to not participate in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka onto the board and the players.
During a press meet on Tuesday, Nazrul said there was “no question” of having any regrets over Bangladesh’s non-participation in the marquee T20 event and claimed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials and the players had decided to make this “sacrifice”.
“The decision was made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the cricketers. They themselves made sacrifices for the safety of the country’s cricket, for the safety of the people of the country. The role they played in upholding Bangladesh’s dignity will always be held as exemplary,” he said on Tuesday.
This remark contradicted what he had said on January 22, two days before International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the World Cup.
“I am making it clear to everyone: the decision not to play the World Cup in India, considering security concerns -- is the government’s decision,” he had said right after a meeting with the cricketers about the World Cup participation situation.
That was the only time the players were invited to speak on the issue and afterwards, many of them expressed frustration, saying the decision was already made so there was no point to the discussion.
Players, who are living through heartache of missing out on a World Cup, found Nazrul’s latest comments difficult to process.
“That was funny,” a player said on Nazrul’s comments under conditions of anonymity.
“You heard what he said!” another said with a wry laugh.
“What can we say, we have no one. We are helpless. We don’t know what to say since we had no hand in this [World Cup exclusion]. Many things don’t need to be verbalised to be understood. We didn’t get any help from any side,” the player added.
In the board offices, some directors were also surprised by Nazrul’s comments.
“He [Nazrul] had said something different before and is saying something else now. He himself had declared previously that the team will not go,” a BCB director said on conditions of anonymity.
“It was never the BCB’s or the players’ decision to make, so, there is no scope of shifting responsibility,” another BCB official claimed.
Meanwhile, a third director recalled their meetings with government officials and said, “If the decision was discussed in a cabinet meeting, how can it be the board’s decision?... During several meetings with the board, they [government officials] highlighted security issues and put emphasis on not playing in India.”
The Daily Star texted BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul, who is abroad for an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, for a comment but he did not respond.
After facing widespread criticism on social media throughout the day, Nazrul posted a clarification around 10:00pm yesterday, explaining that the confusion had arisen because he had failed to convey the situation clearly.
“Since the beginning of January, I have clearly stated in various remarks that the decision not to play in the World Cup in India was the government’s, based on security risks. I fully stand by that statement,” he wrote.
“Despite financial losses, the deprivation of playing, and the fear of further penalties, they [BCB and players] complied. In this sense, the primary credit for the decision to forego the World Cup, in the interest of the safety of the people and the nation’s dignity, belongs to them. “I acknowledge that during the press conference, I failed to explain this properly due to an unprepared response. I reiterate firmly: the decision not to participate in the World Cup was made by the government,” he added.
