‘We act as if nothing affects us’: Najmul Hossain Shanto on uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in T20 World Cup in India

Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto celebrates his century during the fifth day of the first cricket test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle, Sri Lanka, Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Bangladesh’s Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said that even though the uncertainty around the team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India is affecting the players, they are acting as if everything was ok. Shanto also slammed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director M Najmul Islam for calling former captain Tamim Iqbal an agent of India.

“First of all, if you look at our World Cup results, we’ve never really played consistently good cricket. Last year, we did play well, but there were even better opportunities, and we couldn’t capitalise on them. But you’ll see that something always happens before every World Cup. I can say this from my experience of three World Cups – it does have an effect. Now, we act as if nothing affects us, that we are fully professional cricketers. You guys also understand that we are acting – it’s not easy. Of course, it would be better if these things didn’t happen, but this is partly beyond our control,” he said on Saturday.

Bangladesh’s involvement in the showpiece event is under a cloud after the board demanded that their matches be moved to Sri Lanka after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from the IPL on instructions of the BCCI, which cited unspecified “developments all around” to justify the decision.

“I don’t know the details of how it happened, or how it could have been controlled. Still, I’d say that even acting in such circumstances (is difficult). With the right mindset if we go to the World Cup and play anywhere, we should focus on how to do our best for the team,” Shanto said.

The World Cup gets underway on February 7 and Bangladesh are scheduled to play four games (three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai) in India.

Shanto also expressed deep anguish over BCB director M Najmul Islam calling former captain Tamim Iqbal “an Indian agent”.

“Very sad, very sad because such comments were made about a cricketer – a former captain, and in my opinion one of Bangladesh’s most successful cricketers whom we grew up watching, As players, we expect respect – whether someone is a former captain, a regular player, successful or not. At the end of the day, a cricketer hopes for respect,” he said.

Shanto the BCB is “is supposed to be our guardian” but ended up making an unacceptable statement. “Parents should correct you at home, not in front of everyone. So such a comment from someone who is supposed to be our guardian is very difficult to accept. I completely reject it as a player,” he concluded.