‘Make This Make Sense’: Afridi and Gillespie Blast ICC for Hypocrisy Over Bangladesh Snub

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is facing a storm of criticism from two of cricket’s most respected voices, Shahid Afridi and Jason Gillespie, following its controversial decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Both legends have accused the governing body of applying double standards, favoring India while penalizing Bangladesh for similar security concerns.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi took to social media to express his "deep disappointment," drawing a sharp contrast with the ICC's handling of the 2025 Champions Trophy. "It accepted India’s security concerns for not touring Pakistan in 2025, yet appears unwilling to apply the same understanding to Bangladesh," Afridi wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He warned that such inconsistency erodes trust, urging the body to "build bridges, not burn them."

The criticism was echoed by Australian great and coach Jason Gillespie, who demanded an explanation for why a neutral venue—a concession frequently granted to India—was off the table for Bangladesh. "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?!?!" Gillespie questioned.

The backlash highlights a growing sentiment that the ICC’s refusal to move Bangladesh's matches to co-host Sri Lanka, despite Dhaka citing "genuine risks" and the forced removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, exposes a bias in global cricket governance. Meanwhile, Scotland is set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, ironically scheduled to play in the very Indian venues deemed unsafe by the BCB.

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