Afridi expressed his dissatisfaction with the ICC’s approach and highlighted what he saw as unequal treatment of member boards. He referred to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy, citing security concerns, and pointed out that the ICC had subsequently allowed India to play their matches at a neutral venue in Dubai. India eventually reached the final of the tournament, while Pakistan did not get the chance to host the final on home soil.
“As a former international cricketer who has played in Bangladesh and at ICC events, I am deeply disappointed by the inconsistency of the ICC. It accepted India’s security concerns over not touring Pakistan in 2025, yet seems unwilling to apply the same understanding to Bangladesh,” Afridi wrote on social media platform X.
Afridi further emphasized the importance of uniform application of regulations by the sport’s governing body.
“Consistency and fairness are the bedrock of global cricket governance. Bangladesh’s players and millions of fans deserve respect, not mixed standards. The ICC must build bridges and not burn them,” he added.
Gillespie, who was previously head coach of Pakistan, also questioned the ICC’s handling of the Bangladesh situation in a separate social media post, also referring to the precedent of the Champions Trophy involving India. The former Australia fast bowler later deleted the post.
“Was there any explanation from the ICC as to why Bangladesh could not play their matches outside India? From my memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and was allowed to play those matches outside the country. Can anyone make sense of this?” he said.
Bangladesh were removed from the 2026 T20 World Cup after the ICC rejected their request not to send the team to India for the tournament, citing security concerns. The issue remained unresolved for three weeks before the ICC formally confirmed that Scotland would replace Bangladesh in the competition.
Get every cricket update! Follow us:
#Afridi #Gillespie #question #ICCs #inconsistency #Bangladesh #T20 #World #Cup #exit #CricTracker