Dr Asif Nazrul, the Youth and Sports Adviser to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, has thanked Pakistan for its stance on the India match boycott at the T20 World Cup.
Nazrul shared his reaction in a Facebook post on Wednesday. He quoted remarks made by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s support.
In his post, Nazrul wrote that Sharif said Pakistan decided to boycott the match against India in protest against Bangladesh being removed from the T20 World Cup. He quoted Sharif as saying, “We will not play the match against India because there should be no politics on the sports field. We have taken this decision after careful thought. We should stand completely by Bangladesh. I think this is a very appropriate decision.”
Nazrul began the post with the words “Thank you, Pakistan,” highlighting Bangladesh’s gratitude for the move.
The situation began after Bangladesh were excluded from the T20 World Cup by the International Cricket Council. Bangladesh were scheduled to play their matches in India. Their government later raised security concerns and did not allow the team to travel.
Bangladesh asked to play their matches in Sri Lanka instead, which is a co-host venue for the tournament. The ICC Board later voted to replace Bangladesh with Scotland rather than move the games. Pakistan and the Bangladesh Cricket Board voted against that decision.
After the vote, the Pakistan government announced that Pakistan would play in the T20 World Cup but would not take the field against India on February 15. No reason was given at the time. The Pakistan Cricket Board also stayed silent.
The ICC later warned that selective participation could affect the global cricket system. It urged Pakistan to look for a solution that protects all stakeholders.
Sharif later clarified that the boycott was linked to support for Bangladesh. He said sport should remain free from politics.
Nazrul’s post marks the first public response from a senior Bangladeshi government adviser welcoming Pakistan’s decision and framing it as support for Bangladesh amid the wider dispute.
