Shanto Says Bangladesh Players ‘Act Unfazed’ As Controversies Resurface Before World Cups

Bangladesh test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has lifted the lid on the emotional strain players carry into global tournaments, admitting that the national side has grown accustomed to masking discomfort when controversies erupt around major events.

Speaking amid uncertainty over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, Shanto reflected on a recurring pattern that, in his view, has shadowed the team’s World Cup campaigns for years. He pointed out that distractions have a habit of surfacing just as preparations should be peaking, leaving players to manage far more than cricket alone.

“We haven’t got a good result in any World Cup,” Shanto said, revisiting Bangladesh’s missed opportunity at the 2024 T20 World Cup. “But you will notice that before every World Cup, there’s some incident that takes place.”

Shanto acknowledged that while players publicly project calm, the reality inside the dressing room is more complex. “As a player who has played one or two of these tournaments, I can tell you that it affects us,” he said. “But we ‘act’ as if nothing affects us since we are professional cricketers. Even you know that it affects us. It is not easy.”

With less than a month to go before the first ball of the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh’s status remains unresolved. The uncertainty stems from a chain of events triggered by the BCCI’s directive to Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman, a move that escalated into a broader political and security debate. While the BCCI did not formally cite safety concerns, the situation intensified after political and religious figures in India objected to KKR’s signing of the Bangladesh fast bowler.

Bangladesh’s government suspended the broadcast of the IPL domestically, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board informed the ICC that the team was unwilling to tour India under the current conditions, proposing Sri Lanka as an alternative venue for their World Cup fixtures.

Shanto, though not part of the current T20 squad, carries recent leadership experience, having captained Bangladesh in their previous T20 World Cup and featured in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. From that perspective, he stressed that players have little control over external developments.

“I would also add that this thing is beyond our control,” he said. “Wherever we play the World Cup ultimately, the players have to act like nothing is bothering them, and they can do well for the team.”

His comments underline a familiar challenge for Bangladesh cricket: balancing performance with pressure when events off the field threaten to overshadow those on it. As the countdown to the World Cup continues, the team waits not just for clarity on venues but for a rare stretch of calm before the game’s biggest stage.