Former India cricketer Madan Lal has strongly criticised Bangladesh’s decision to withdraw from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India, accusing Pakistan of playing a behind-the-scenes role in influencing the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Calling the move “foolish” and self-destructive, Lal argued that India, as hosts of the marquee event, would not be affected in any meaningful way, while Bangladesh stand to suffer major sporting and commercial consequences.

The controversy escalated after the BCB held a high-level meeting on Thursday and reiterated its refusal to travel to India for the global tournament. Bangladesh officials described the ICC’s stance as an “injustice”, expressing disappointment over the governing body’s rejection of their request to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka or another neutral venue.

The ICC, however, has maintained that multiple security assessments found no credible threat to the Bangladesh team and insisted that shifting venues at such a late stage was logistically impossible. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 7, leaving little room for major changes.

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Madan Lal, speaking to India Today, did not mince words while assessing the situation. He pointed out that Bangladesh’s absence would hurt only one party.

“India is not going to lose anything,” Madan Lal said, adding that missing out on a tournament of this scale would be a significant blow for Bangladesh from a commercial, financial, and competitive standpoint. He stressed that World Cups are vital platforms for teams to grow their global brand and attract sponsors, something Bangladesh risk losing entirely.

Bangladesh were scheduled to play three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. They even proposed swapping groups with Ireland, who are set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected that proposal as well.

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Lal further alleged political motivations behind the standoff, claiming Pakistan’s involvement in influencing Bangladesh’s decision. He suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board, led by Mohsin Naqvi, was attempting to pressure the ICC by positioning itself as Bangladesh’s ally and hinting at a potential boycott. According to Lal, venues like Mumbai are among the safest in the country, and the issue has less to do with security and more with regional politics aimed at undermining India’s position in global cricket.