Former ICC official accuses BCCI of mishandling Mustafizur Rahman’s exit, fueling T20 World Cup row | cricket news & more related news here

Mustafizur Rahman (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former ICC communications chief Sami-ul-Hasan Burney criticized the BCCI’s handling of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s exit from the Indian Premier League, saying the Indian board could have avoided the current T20 World Cup turmoil with a more measured approach.Rahman’s release from his contract with Kolkata Knight Riders set off a chain reaction that ultimately led to Bangladesh withdrawing from the tournament, effective February 7, after citing “security concerns” about traveling to India. In a show of solidarity, Pakistan has since opted to forgo its February 15 clash against archrival India following government directives.

Burney, who later served as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s media director after leaving the ICC, felt the situation was unnecessarily escalated due to public communication about Rahman’s dismissal.“I mean, things could have been easily avoided if the cricket administrators or the people responsible for the game had been a little more careful and avoided public statements like a Bangladesh player (Mustafizur) has to be dropped from the franchise,” Sami told PTI.“I mean they (BCCI) didn’t have to say it publicly. They could have easily privately told the franchise (KKR) to release the player and no one would have known what happened and life would have moved on.“Sometimes an error in judgment is made and a statement is made that has implications. So the January 3 announcement became a trigger,” he explained.Burney, a former journalist with The Dawn, spent more than a decade at the ICC headquarters in Dubai before joining the PCB last year. It also shed light on the thinking of PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s Home Minister.Burney said Naqvi views the ICC’s refusal to move Bangladesh matches from India to Sri Lanka as a case of “shifting the goalposts”.“I am referring to November 2024, when I was part of the Pakistan Cricket Board and was with Mr Mohsin Naqvi, when that email came in which the ICC said that the BCCI had informed them that the Indian government had denied permission to send their team to Pakistan.“Mr Naqvi believes that when a similar situation arose in January (regarding Bangladesh), the same principles were not applied, and this is what the double standard refers to.“I think that is what bothers Mr. Naqvi and the PCB, because they believe that the objectives are being changed or displaced.”On whether Bangladesh’s dispute with India was Pakistan’s battle, Burney said: “We can agree with it, we can disagree with this decision, we can argue… but when the government makes a decision, it is looking at something bigger than what you and I are looking at.”While the ICC has hinted at possible sanctions, including heavy financial sanctions, Burney insisted Pakistan would have weighed all consequences.“I mean, these decisions are not easy to make. They must have talked to a lot of people, sought advice from experts and looked at the legal aspect.“I’m sure an extensive exercise would have been carried out before the Pakistan government made that decision. As for the sanctions or losses you talk about, that match costs $250 million (all accounted for not just the broadcaster’s losses).“Pakistan’s annual income is $35.5 million, so there is a big difference,” he said.He added that Pakistan had already overcome financial setbacks by not playing bilaterally with India.“…unlike other countries, Pakistan has not hosted India for 20 years in a bilateral series, although they have toured India twice in 2007 and then in 2012-13 for white-ball cricket.“They didn’t play, I mean, they played offshore for 10 years, from 2009 to 2019, not at home, but in the Middle East or the UAE, and still managed to win two tournaments, the T20 World Cup in 2009 and the Champions Trophy in 2017,” he said.“So, yes, there will be financial implications, but if the Pakistan Cricket Board can survive that 20-year period without playing India, it will be able to sustain itself.”