Former England captain Nasser Hussain will be one of the leading voices in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) commentary team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which gets underway on February 7 across venues in India and Sri Lanka. The global body confirmed its star-studded broadcast panel on the eve of the tournament opener, with India, Pakistan and West Indies set to feature in the opening round of matches.
Hussain has long been a familiar presence on ICC broadcasts, lending his sharp tactical insight and balanced analysis to major tournaments across men’s, women’s and age-group cricket. Widely respected for his honesty in the commentary box, the former England skipper has never shied away from speaking his mind on issues affecting the global game. His inclusion in the panel comes just days after he publicly criticised the ICC’s handling of the political standoff surrounding the tournament, particularly the controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast with Michael Atherton, Hussain questioned whether the ICC applies its rules consistently to all member nations. He suggested that powerful boards, especially the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), appear to enjoy greater flexibility, which in turn deepens the imbalance within international cricket. Hussain argued that the only thing smaller boards seek is equal treatment, regardless of financial clout or political influence.
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He also expressed a degree of sympathy for Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India over security concerns, as well as Pakistan’s stance in supporting Bangladesh. According to Hussain, cricket has increasingly become entangled with politics, and at some point, the focus needs to return to the sport itself. The ICC, for its part, has chosen not to publicly respond to Hussain’s remarks.
The 2026 T20 World Cup commentary panel features an elite group of former players and seasoned broadcasters from across the cricketing world. Indian voices such as Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Harsha Bhogle, Dinesh Karthik and Robin Uthappa will feature prominently. The panel also includes Pakistan greats Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Ramiz Raja, alongside global names like Kumar Sangakkara, Ian Bishop, Ian Smith, Matthew Hayden, Michael Atherton, Dale Steyn and Shaun Pollock. World Test Championship–winning South Africa captain Temba Bavuma is among the notable new additions, while Bangladesh will still be represented in the commentary box through Athar Ali Khan despite their team’s absence from the tournament.
ICC T20 CRICKET WORLD CUP Commentators
My graphic: @ICC @bhogleharsha #icct20worldcup2026 pic.twitter.com/3ZIkqK5Sho— Ajay Srinivasan (@Ajaychairman) February 6, 2026
Off the field, the build-up to the T20 World Cup has been overshadowed by a diplomatic and administrative storm. Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland after refusing to travel to India for their scheduled matches, citing security concerns and requesting neutral venues in Sri Lanka. The ICC rejected the request, stating there were no verifiable threats, and enforced tournament regulations by disqualifying Bangladesh for non-participation. The move has sparked criticism from former players and analysts, who view it as another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over governance and power dynamics in world cricket.
The situation escalated further when Pakistan announced it would boycott its marquee group-stage clash against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. While Pakistan will continue to participate in the rest of the tournament, the government has directed the team not to take the field against India in protest over Bangladesh’s exclusion. The potential cancellation of the India–Pakistan match, widely regarded as cricket’s biggest commercial fixture, has sent shockwaves through the ICC, with estimates suggesting the game alone could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcast and sponsorship revenue.
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As negotiations continue behind the scenes, co-host Sri Lanka Cricket has urged Pakistan to reconsider, warning of heavy financial losses and a blow to tourism if the fixture is called off. India, meanwhile, have confirmed they will travel to Colombo and complete all pre-match formalities as scheduled. Whether the highly anticipated clash goes ahead remains uncertain, adding an extra layer of intrigue and tension to a tournament that is already shaping up to be as dramatic off the field as it promises to be on it.
