Former England captain Nasser Hussain has strongly criticised the ICC amid the ongoing T20 World Cup dispute, backing Pakistan and Bangladesh. He highlighted concerns over inconsistent and biased decision-making by the cricket governing body.
The controversy intensified after Pakistan announced on February 1 that they would boycott their group-stage match against India on February 15 in Colombo. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said this move was a protest against the ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament after they refused to play in India due to security concerns.
Bangladesh was replaced by Scotland, a decision that drew criticism from many cricket analysts and former players. Hussain, speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, questioned whether the ICC treats all member boards fairly. He suggested the governing body has shown preferential treatment towards India and the BCCI.
“There has always been a link between sports and politics, but what used to be an exception now feels like the norm,” Hussain said. He also expressed concern over the growing politicisation of cricket and its impact on major tournaments.
Hussain warned that repeatedly sidelining Pakistan and Bangladesh could harm the sport in these countries. “With power comes responsibility. If you keep knocking Pakistan and Bangladesh into a corner, their cricket diminishes, and the great contests risk becoming one-sided,” he added.
He further questioned whether the ICC would act the same way if India requested venue changes in future tournaments. Hussain emphasised that consistency should guide decisions in politically influenced situations. “All sides ask for is consistency. You have to treat Bangladesh the same as Pakistan, and Pakistan the same as India,” he said.
Hussain also praised Bangladesh for supporting Mustafizur Rahman and Pakistan for showing solidarity. He urged cricket administrators to prioritise the sport over politics. “The game is shooting itself in the foot. At some point, someone had to say enough with the politics, can we just get back to playing cricket?” he concluded.
The T20 World Cup dispute continues to spark debate in the cricketing world, highlighting the delicate balance between sports, politics, and governance in international tournaments.
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