For the first time in more than two decades, Bangladesh cricket fans are preparing for a World Cup without their team.
Since the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1999, Bangladesh have featured in every World Cup across formats. That unbroken run is now set to end after the ICC decided to remove Bangladesh from the 2026 T20 World Cup following the team’s refusal to travel to India over security concerns.
The decision has triggered a wave of mixed emotions among the cricket fans of Bangladesh. There is disappointment at missing the World Cup, anger over how events unfolded, criticism of the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s handling of the situation, and, for some, pride in taking a firm stand.
With fans forming the backbone of Bangladesh cricket, their reactions offer a clear picture of how deeply this moment has landed.
To understand that mood, Daily Times of Bangladesh spoke with prominent cricket content creators, fan group founders, and writers who engage daily with Bangladesh’s cricket audience.
Sheikh Minhaj Hossain, a familiar name in Bangladesh’s cricket-focused Facebook groups and a writer, believes the stance itself was justified, but the execution was flawed.
“Choosing Sri Lanka over India was the right call,” he said. “But the BCB failed on the diplomatic front. There were no strong security reports, no visible lobbying with other boards. That weakened their position. Some fans may boycott out of emotion, but most will still watch because the matches are on at prime time. In the long run, I don’t see lasting damage. If Bangladesh target the 2027 World Cup and reach the semi-finals, the scars will fade.”
Zunaid Paiker, the founding President of the Bangladesh Cricket Supporters Association, questioned the fairness of the outcome.
“Bangladesh had every right to prioritise player safety,” he said. “Replacing them with Scotland feels less like a cricketing decision and more like power politics. This ignores millions of loyal fans and damages the spirit of a T20 World Cup that feels incomplete without Bangladesh. From here, the board and the government must work together to ensure security and demand the respect our cricket deserves.”
Md Sayeb Ihsan Nahin, founder of the cricket platform Cricketangon, feels the World Cup will be watched, but without the same heart.
“I don’t think people will completely boycott the tournament,” he said. “But they will watch with a heavy heart. Viewership from Bangladesh will drop, and this might hurt our cricket for the next five years. The damage is recoverable, but only if every step from now on is taken carefully under strong leadership.”
Saif Ahmed Chowdhury, founder and content creator of the Facebook platform Stories with Saif, focused on the IPL episode involving Mustafizur Rahman, calling it unacceptable.
“India is a massive country. Only a very small group made threats about pitches or mobs,” he said. “Yet one of the most powerful boards in the world reacted by removing a player. That was disrespectful, not just to Mustafizur, but to the entire country. I support the BCB’s decision to protect the players. They could have negotiated better, yes, but the main fault lies with the BCCI”
Cricket writer Rezwan Rahman Sadid, who has his own platform Sportably Yours, Sadid, believes the absence of Bangladesh will drain much of the tournament’s emotion for local fans.
“When Mustafizur first played in IPL 2016, many fans watched IPL just for his four overs,” he said. “Bangladesh fans mostly care about Bangladesh-centred cricket. Without them, enthusiasm will drop sharply. It won’t even feel like a World Cup. Right or wrong, I think Bangladesh made a logical choice. When it felt like one board was running world cricket, someone had to take a stand. I feel proud that Bangladesh did.”
Journalist Tanvir Ahmed Pranto, who previously led the fan group Doura Bagh Ailo, pointed to a quieter shift in fan behaviour.
“People will still turn on the TV and check scores,” he said. “But they won’t be glued to the screen like before. It will be casual checks, nothing more. There is one small upside, though. Fans can now enjoy the World Cup without stress, without worrying about equations and possibilities.”
For Bangladeshi cricket supporters, this World Cup will be unfamiliar territory. Whether marked by anger, pride, or quiet resignation, the absence of Bangladesh has already reshaped how the nation looks at the game it follows most closely.
