Najmul Islam, the finance committee chairman of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), made a bold statement. On Wednesday (January 14), he clarified that the board wouldn’t incur any loss if the men’s national team opted out of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) suggested BCB reconsider its stance of playing all its matches outside India, citing security reasons.
Meanwhile, there are increasing speculations about BCB’s chances of facing financial losses if Bangladesh forfeits its participation in the forthcoming World Cup.
‘No Loss for BCB’: Najmul Islam
During the media interaction, Najmul Islam revealed that instead of the BCB, the players would face the financial consequences of a withdrawal, as they would receive no match fees:
“No! Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) won’t undergo any loss if we don’t take part in the World Cup.
As discussed in the 2022 ICC financial meeting, everything was in place to ensure that our revenue wouldn’t be hampered. Whether it’s the upcoming bilateral series, future World Cups, or international events, those teams that come under the Future Tour Programs (FTP) have valid questions. But this T20 World Cup won’t affect our earnings.
Certainly, the players would face financial loss. This is because they receive a match fee for every game they play. For example, a player claims a Player of the Match award, and the money belongs to that particular performer as per the ICC rules and match guidelines.
The board has no involvement with that. In other words, the board does not earn a single penny from this, as they don’t gain or lose anything from this.
Whether Bangladesh participates or not, the concept is simple. The board does not gain any profit or loss, mainly not for this World Cup,” Najmul said.
No Compensation for Bangladesh Players
Najmul, furthermore, clarified that BCB won’t provide any compensation to its players if they withdraw their participation from the T20 World Cup 2026 in India:
“See! There is no matter of compensation. You tell me the reason we compensate (asking in an angry tone). If players go somewhere and fail to perform, what about the crores of taka spent on them? Come on, answer me. It is a fact that players find it tough to survive without the board.
You people are just thinking from one side. Even I am a human being with a body and two hands. My body cannot function properly without those two hands. Think logically, that my hands to do my work cannot exist without a body. You cannot even imagine one without the other.
To be simple, there is no explanation on why we give any compensation, as the question hasn’t been raised so far. For example, if we say a player who played terribly and now refunds the payment, does it make any sense? Have you ever managed to win a single ICC to date? So, think practically that every time we can also say that you underperformed and return us the money spent,” the BCB director said.
Bangladesh Players Don’t Make Decisions About Their Participation
Najmul said that the BCB neither consults players nor seeks their opinions about participation:
“Not at all! We don’t ask whether they want to travel or not. It is the board that makes decisions and not players. Usually, the World Cup squad is formed by not asking players. The final decision will be taken by the selectors on which player should play the tournament,” Najmul said.
‘No Government Interference’: Najmul Islam
Najmul clarified that the decision was taken by the BCB and claims minimal interference of the government.
“Certainly! We make our own decisions, and there is no government interference. However, if the government doesn’t grant NOC and clearance, we can’t travel. Beyond that, we are independent in making decisions.
Such claims are purely speculative. Assuming means what? Do you know what exactly it means? It conveys you’re just guessing by not knowing any reality,” the BCB finance chairman said.
Final Thoughts
With BCB’s revenue secured until the ODI World Cup 2027, there are fewer chances of the revenue being affected by withdrawing from the upcoming 20-over World Cup.
Although Najmul Islam revealed a few crucial facts, his comments against the Bangladesh players haven’t gone well. The cricketers have threatened to boycott their matches across all formats if the BCB finance chairman announces his resignation.
As the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup approaches, the ICC and BCB are likely to make a compromising deal.
Furthermore, the global governing body will be keen to ensure Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament as well as ensure players’ safety.
Within a short gap, a final decision is expected to be made, planning for alternatives to host Bangladesh’s matches in the tournament.