Former England captain Nasser Hussain has voiced his support for Pakistan and Bangladesh as tensions rise with the ICC ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Hussain said he respects both teams for holding their ground and believes the situation has reached a point where someone needed to say “enough” to the growing political influence in international cricket.
Bangladesh were removed from the tournament after declining to travel to India due to security concerns. This decision followed controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the IPL despite being selected by Kolkata Knight Riders. The move triggered strong reactions and led Pakistan to also refuse to play their scheduled match against India in the tournament. As a result the highly anticipated India Pakistan clash set for February 15 in Colombo remains uncertain while discussions continue behind the scenes.
Speaking on the Sky Cricket Podcast Hussain said he admired Bangladesh for standing up for their player and appreciated Pakistan for supporting them. He stressed that cricket should return to being about the game rather than politics and said the increasing overlap between sport and political disputes has become disheartening. Hussain also pointed out that the financial impact of an India Pakistan match is one of the few ways the ICC truly feels pressure in such situations.
Reflecting on recent controversies including the Asia Cup Hussain said cricket once played a role in bringing nations together but is now increasingly driving them apart. He acknowledged the ICC’s difficult position in handling last-minute withdrawals but questioned whether the same strict action would apply if a similar request came from India. According to Hussain consistency in decision-making is what teams like Bangladesh and Pakistan are seeking and treating all nations equally is essential for the long-term health of the game.
