Labonno Chowdhury : Pakistan captain and Cricket legends Shahid Afridi and Jason Gillespie have lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC), accusing the governing body of ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘mixed standards’ following the official replacement of Bangladesh with Scotland for the T20 World Cup 2026.The outcry comes after the ICC confirmed on Saturday that Scotland would take over Bangladesh’s spot in Group C.
The decision was made after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stood firm on its refusal to send the national team to India, citing security concerns and a “hostile environment” following the forced release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL earlier this month.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi expressed his deep disappointment on social media, drawing a sharp parallel to the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India was allowed to play its matches at a neutral venue (Dubai) rather than traveling to Pakistan.
“As a former international cricketer who has played in Bangladesh and in ICC events, I’m deeply disappointed by the ICC’s inconsistency,” Afridi wrote on X. “It accepted India’s security concerns for not touring Pakistan in 2025, yet appears unwilling to apply the same understanding to Bangladesh. Consistency and fairness are the foundation of global cricket governance… The ICC should build bridges, not burn them.”
Australian legend Jason Gillespie, who recently served as Pakistan’s red-ball coach, echoed these sentiments. In a post on X (which was later deleted but widely circulated), Gillespie questioned why the “hybrid model” used for India was not extended to Bangladesh.
“Has there been an explanation from the ICC why Bangladesh could not play their games outside of India?” Gillespie asked. “From memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and they were allowed to play those games outside of Pakistan. Can someone make this make sense?!?!”
The ICC has justified the expulsion by stating there was an “absence of any credible or verifiable security threat” in India. The council argued that the BCB’s request came too close to the February 7 start date, unlike the BCCI’s request for the Champions Trophy, which was negotiated months in advance.
Scotland, who now benefits from the standoff, will join England, the West Indies, Italy, and Nepal in Group C. Meanwhile, the BCB has indicated it may take the matter to the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC), though the governing body maintains that the board’s vote for a replacement team is final.
