Shakib Al Hasan calls Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup back out a 'major blunder', says 'I think that's a...'

Shakib Al Hasan has strongly criticized Bangladesh’s decision to pull out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, calling it a “major blunder” and a significant loss for the nation’s cricketing landscape.

The veteran all-rounder did not hold back while reflecting on the controversial move, which saw Bangladesh skip the marquee event held in India due to security concerns and strained diplomatic relations.

Shakib Al Hasan calls Bangladesh’s World Cup absence a “big loss”

Shakib expressed deep disappointment over the decision, emphasizing how much the World Cup means to a cricket-loving nation like Bangladesh. He underlined that missing out on such a global stage deprived both players and fans of a major opportunity.

"I think that's a big loss [not playing the World Cup], a great miss as far as Bangladesh cricket is concerned because we as a country love watching our players playing World Cups, playing matches," said Shakib.

"We are a cricket-loving country and, you know, a country like Bangladesh not participating in World Cup was such a big miss. I think it's a blunder from the government side that they took the decision not to participate in that World Cup," he added.

Why Bangladesh pulled out of the T20 World Cup

Bangladesh’s absence from the tournament stemmed from a decision by the then-interim government, which cited security concerns and diplomatic tensions with India. The situation escalated when Bangladesh requested that their matches be shifted to a neutral venue, a demand that the ICC did not accept.

As a result, Bangladesh opted to withdraw from the competition altogether and were eventually replaced by Scotland in the tournament lineup.

Shakib hopeful of improving cricketing ties with India

While reflecting on the setback, Shakib Al Hasan also expressed optimism about the future, particularly regarding cricketing relations between Bangladesh and Board of Control for Cricket in India.

"I think things will get better [between BCB and BCCI] and obviously effort should need to be made. And I think one or two series, if Bangladesh visits India or India goes back to Bangladesh playing the series, which I heard might happen in August-September, I don't know. If that happens, I think then the ice will break and things will get better," he said.

As Bangladesh looks ahead, Shakib’s remarks underline the importance of staying on the global stage and ensuring such costly decisions are not repeated.