Overview:
Syed Ashraful Haque sharply targeted ICC chairman Jay Shah and several top administrators in India and Bangladesh.
Syed Ashraful Haque, who previously served as BCB general secretary and ACC head, has delivered a strong assessment of Asian cricket governance, accusing it of being overshadowed by politics. His remarks come amid rising tensions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Bangladesh Cricket Board after India’s board advised against allowing Mustafizur Rahman to feature in IPL 2026.
The decision came against the backdrop of demonstrations in India linked to the killing of Hindus across the border. Bangladesh subsequently asked the ICC to relocate their T20 World Cup 2026 matches away from Indian venues. Addressing the unfolding situation, Syed Ashraful Haque sharply targeted ICC chairman Jay Shah and several top administrators in India and Bangladesh.
“Across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, everywhere the entire cricket ecosystem has been taken over by politicians. Just think about it, would this ever have happened if figures like Jagmohan Dalmia, NKP Salve, IS Bindra, Madhavrao Scindia, or even N Srinivasan were in charge? It simply wouldn’t have. They were mature leaders who understood the game and fully grasped the consequences of their decisions,” Haque told TimesofIndia.com.
“Now it has been hijacked completely. You have people in charge who have never played the game. In your case, Jay Shah has not even picked up a bat in a competitive match. Then you have a sports adviser suggesting that Bangladesh should not travel to India. Just think about that for a moment. This is a World Cup event. This is not the IPL. The IPL is a domestic competition, while the World Cup is an international event. You simply cannot make such irresponsible and hasty remarks,” he said.
Haque took aim at board officials, claiming their actions have cast uncertainty over the World Cup and exploited religious narratives.
“Had it been Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar instead of Mustafizur Rahman, the reaction would have been very different, and we all know that. This is nothing but the exploitation of religious sentiments for political gain. That is what happens when inexperienced politicians step in. With elections approaching in West Bengal and Assam, this card is being played to win votes, even if it means creating complications for an international event of World Cup importance,” Haque added.