“Will ICC punish India if they refuse playing T20 World Cup in another country” - Nasser Hussain asks, praises Bangladesh and Pakistan

Nasser Hussain, a former captain of England, criticized the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), saying he appreciated that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) defended its players and Pakistan backed them against the unfair treatment they received.

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Hussain asserted that the imbalance in international cricket had been made worse by the ICC's preferential treatment of strong boards, especially India.

Hussain's remarks follow the termination of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman's contract with his Indian Premier League team by the BCCI. The decision started a series of events that led to Bangladesh's expulsion from the World Cup after they refused to travel to India for matches.

The situation escalated when Pakistan declared they would boycott their group stage match against India just one week before the competition was scheduled to start.

Hussain questioned the ICC's consistency, questioning if the international body would have taken such a severe stand if India had declined to take part, citing governmental or security constraints.

“If India, a month before a tournament, said, ‘Our government does not want us to play in a country for a World Cup,’ would the ICC have been so firm and said, ‘You know the rules, bad luck, we’re knocking you out’?” Hussain asked while speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast alongside Michael Atherton.

Then, he cautioned more broadly about the possible long-term harm that could result from such an imbalance.

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“The only thing all sides ask for is consistency. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India must be treated the same. Yes, India fans may say, ‘Cry more, we have the money!’ But with power comes responsibility. Constantly knocking Bangladesh or Pakistan diminishes their cricket. That’s why the great games between India and Pakistan or India and Bangladesh have become one-sided over time,” he added.

Before concluding the conversation, Hussain expressed his appreciation for the Bangladesh Cricket Board's backing of its players.

"I actually quite like Bangladesh sticking to their guns, standing up for their players. I quite like Pakistan sticking up for Bangladesh as well. At some stage, someone should say, Enough with this politics; can we just get back to playing cricket?" Hussain concluded.

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