Former England captain Nasser Hussain has launched a scathing criticism of the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the chaotic build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. Speaking on the Sky Sports podcast with Michael Atherton, Hussain argued that the ICC’s preferential treatment of world powers has deepened, particularly in India.
Hussain’s comments come after BCCI terminated Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s contract with its Indian Premier League franchise. The move set off a chain of events where Bangladesh refused to travel to India for World Cup matches, which eventually led to their exit from the tournament.
The situation further escalated when Pakistan announced their decision to boycott their group stage match against India, throwing the tournament into further uncertainty just a week before it was scheduled to begin.
I quite like it: Hussain
Asked about the ICC’s consistency, Hussain questioned whether the world body would have taken such a tough stance if India were a team that was unwilling to travel, citing government restrictions or security concerns.
“If India had said ‘our government doesn’t want us to play any country in the World Cup’ a month before the tournament, would the ICC have been so firm and said ‘you know the rules, bad luck, we’re going to knock you out?'” asked Hussain.
He followed it up with a broader warning about the long-term damage such an imbalance could cause.
“The only issue that all parties want is consistency. Bangladesh, Pakistan and India must be treated equally. Yes, Indian fans can say, ‘Cry more, we have money!’ But with power comes responsibility. Constantly knocking Bangladesh or Pakistan diminishes their cricket. That’s why great games between India and Pakistan or India and Bangladesh have become one-sided over time,” he added.
Before closing the topic, Hussain said that he quite liked the fact that the Bangladesh Cricket Board stood up for its players.
“I actually quite like that Bangladesh are sticking to their guns and standing up for their players. I quite like that Pakistan is standing up for Bangladesh too. At some stage someone should say, enough with politics, we can just go back to playing cricket,” concluded Hussain.
This might upset some Indian fans, but Nasser Hussain’s comments hit hard.
He exposed the ICC’s clear double standards favoring the BCCI and questioned whether the same strict rules would apply if India had refused to play somewhere on government concerns.
He gave props to Pakistan and pic.twitter.com/lKaa9gIwJ7— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88criket) February 5, 2026
IND vs PAK: Even neutral sites fail
After India refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, the ICC had earlier brokered a compromise whereby India and Pakistan would only meet at neutral venues during ICC events.
However, this solution now appears to be ineffective. Pakistan chose not to play India in their scheduled group stage encounter on 15 February despite the match being set for a neutral venue.
Notably, Pakistan has yet to formally notify the ICC of its decision, a factor that has so far prevented the ruling body from taking any official action.
Former PCB chief weighs in
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi also chimed in, laying the blame squarely on the BCCI and accusing the board of using its influence to arm others.
“The problem is the BCCI’s attitude. They bullied the other boards at every stage. Earlier, Pakistan was isolated, one out of ten, and everyone was on India’s side. Now that is changing.”
Sethi returned to Pakistan’s opposition to the controversial “Big Three” model that consolidated power and revenue between India, Australia and England.
“Nine boards applied; we were left alone because it was unfair,” he said.
Although revisions were later made and India eventually agreed to a bilateral series with Pakistan, Sethi recalled how the arrangement suddenly collapsed.
“A year later, on the eve of the series, the BCCI pulled out without meeting us in Mumbai. That was a huge insult,” concluded Sethi.
The T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in India is scheduled for February 15. BCCI sources told India Today that the team will travel to Sri Lanka for the match, have training sessions and hold a pre-match press conference.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
February 5, 2026
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