ICC on Saturday officially announced replacing Bangladesh with Scotland for the Men's T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
Afridi shared his frustration on social media platform X, questioning the ICC’s approach and highlighting what he sees as a double standard by comparing India’s decision not to tour Pakistan in 2025 with the situation now faced by Bangladesh.
"As a former international cricketer who has played in Bangladesh and in ICC events, I’m deeply disappointed by today's ICC’s inconsistency. It accepted India’s security concerns for not touring Pakistan in 2025, yet appears unwilling to apply the same understanding to Bangladesh," Afridi said.
"Consistency and fairness are the foundation of global cricket governance. Bangladesh’s players and millions of its fans deserve respect - not mixed standards. The ICC should build bridges, not burn them," he added.
Meanwhile, Gillespie openly questioned the ICC’s handling of the situation, seeking clarity over the decision that led to Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament.
"Has there been an explanation from the ICC why Bangladesh could not play their games outside of India?" Gillespie questioned.
Referring to a past ICC event, the former Pakistan red-ball head coach highlighted what he termed a clear double standard in the governing body’s handling of such issues, noting that India had previously been afforded special accommodations.
"From memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and they were allowed to play those games outside of Pakistan.Can someone make this make sense," he added.
