In a surprising turn of events, Bangladesh's sports advisor Asif Nazrul has reversed his stance on the country's withdrawal from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, now attributing the decision to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players, rather than the government. This contradicts his earlier statements from January 22, where he asserted that the government had mandated the boycott due to 'security concerns' and a 'hostile environment' in India, following the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman's release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) under political pressure. As reported by NDTV, Nazrul stated, 'This decision was taken by the BCB and the players,' emphasizing the move as a sacrifice to 'protect national dignity.' Despite the initial uproar, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Bangladesh would face no sanctions and would remain a priority host for future ICC events, as noted by India Today.