Rushing to Lahore: Midnight text from Bangladesh cricket chief amid T20 politics
At 1 am on Saturday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board chief took a flight to rush to Lahore without even his BCB colleagues unaware of the plans. BCB chief Aminul Islam Bulbul reached Pakistan to be at the meeting between the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board. Here we analyse why Bulbul took the midnight flight to Lahore.
At 1.00 am, early on Sunday (February 8), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul was waiting to board a flight at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. While some members of the BCB were likely asleep by then, others would have had no clue about Bulbul's itinerary. They came to know of the midnight mission only after a text message landed on the BCB directors' WhatsApp group, informing them that Aminul Islam Bulbul was heading to Lahore.
"This trip was confirmed just 90 minutes ago. I am now at the airport. Due to the short notice, I could not call anyone. The meeting will be held (on February 8) at 4 pm Lahore time. I will return on the evening of February 9," Aminul Islam Bulbul wrote in the message, according to Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo.
Even as the message confirmed that Aminul Islam Bulbul was travelling to Lahore, it left BCB directors guessing about the purpose and agenda of the visit. "I know exactly what you know. The BCB president has gone to Lahore. I will know the rest after he contacts us following the meeting like the BCB," a board member told the newspaper, seeking anonymity.
Aminul Islam Bulbul's midnight dash to Lahore was very much a part of the crisis around the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. While Bangladesh had dropped out already, Pakistan initially said it wouldn't play against India in Colombo, in solidarity with Dhaka.
The Lahore meeting, amid reports of Pakistan's possible U-turn on its India boycott, acquired significance. So, Bulbul's physical presence at the ICC-Pakistan meeting, where the global cricketing body reportedly sought the PCB's reconsideration of its decision to not play India, raised eyebrows. Was Bulbul present there to support Pakistan, which earlier backed Dhaka and was now contemplating a potential U-turn? Was it a bargaining signal? Who was bargaining and for what?
On the other hand, while the meeting also had participants joining over Zoom, why did the BCB chief feel compelled to be present in person in Lahore? The meeting's agenda was largely centred on Pakistan's case, not Bangladesh's, as Scotland had already joined the T20 World Cup as its replacement.
T20 WORLD CUP: PAK SUPPORTED DHAKA, NOW RECONSIDERING INDIA MATCH
Pakistani media reported that BCB's Aminul Islam Bulbul arrived in Lahore on Sunday, where he was received by his PCB chief executive, Salman Nasir. The PCB posted a video welcoming him, quoting Nasir as saying, "We warmly welcome the honourable guest on arrival in Pakistan".
The PCB had announced it would not play against India in their February 15 T20 World Cup group match in Colombo after Bangladesh refused to travel to India for the tournament citing security concerns. Backed by the interim regime of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh requested the ICC to shift its fixtures from India to Sri Lanka. The ICC rejected the request and replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. This triggered a chain reaction.
Then on Friday, Bangladesh's sports adviser Asif Nazrul thanked Pakistan for backing Dhaka's boycott of the T20 World Cup match. A day earlier, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly justified the move as standing "completely" with Bangladesh. This exposed how both governments made cricket a theatre of a political engagement against India.
Now, since Pakistan pulled out of the lucrative fixture against India, the ICC reportedly moved to hold talks for them to reconsider. It was in that pursuit that the ICC meeting, involving CEO Sanjog Gupta and Naqvi, was called on. And the BCB's Aminul Islam Bulbul was present in person, even as Gupta joined the meeting over Zoom.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 5-HOUR-LONG LAHORE MEETING OF ICC, PCB, BCB
The marathon five-hour meeting at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium ended without an immediate resolution. Pakistan is now expected to consult its PM Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government before taking a final call on whether it would play India on February 15. Bangladesh, anyway, is out now.
Pakistan informed the ICC that any reconsideration of its boycott would depend on three conditions. It sought a larger share of ICC revenue, restoration of bilateral cricket with India, and enforcement of a handshake protocol.
The handshake issue has its genesis in an Asia Cup match when the India players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
The Pakistani board also said that the final call on playing against India in the T20 World Cup would be taken only after consulting its federal government headed by PM Sharif, in which the PCB's chief, Naqvi, is the Interior Minister. Bulbul and Naqvi also reportedly had a one-on-one meeting in Lahore.
The Bangladeshi Cricket Board, like other Bangladeshi departments, has been aligning itself with Pakistan's organs. The ICC meeting was more to do with safeguarding the cricket council's revenues if Pakistan did not play with India. The loss would eventually affect annual payouts to all member boards, including Bangladesh.
Bangladesh reportedly used the Lahore talks to push for compensation or a settlement following its removal from the T20 World Cup.
SO, WHY WAS BANGLADESH PRESENT AT THE ICC-PCB MEETING?
Bangladesh's presence at the Lahore meeting was of significance despite its removal from the tournament. Pakistan is now weighing a possible U-turn after Bangladesh had already dropped out. For Bangladesh, which has no realistic pathway back into the World Cup, Aminul Islam Bulbul's presence must have been for a reason.
By attending in person, the BCB stayed consistent with its position over the past few months, which is openly siding with Pakistan. The move also strengthened Islamabad's stance and its negotiating hand with the ICC.
The India versus Pakistan match is the biggest revenue generator in world cricket. The ICC earns hundreds of millions from broadcast rights, sponsorships, and advertising. Smaller boards like Bangladesh receive a fraction of ICC revenue, but these funds, often in the millions, are crucial for running domestic cricket, paying players, and developing infrastructure. The ICC's revenue distribution helps such boards function and sustain their cricketing ecosystem, even if they do not play in marquee fixtures.
The BCB chief's presence in the meeting could also have been used by the ICC to make Pakistan reconsider its decision of not playing India, according to Bangladeshi sports analyst and journalist Deb Chowdhury.
"It is through Bangladesh that the ICC is trying to get Pakistan to agree... If the India-Pakistan match does not take place, the financial loss will be significant. But if the match goes ahead, Bangladesh could still receive the share it was meant to get, minimising the impact of its removal from the World Cup," Chowdhury said on his YouTube channel.
"If Bangladesh is assured that its absence from the World Cup will not hurt its finances or future events, it could be ready to influence Pakistan to play India, making it a win-win for all," he added.
So, Aminul Islam Bulbul's 1-am dash to Lahore might have seemed sudden and unexplained to his own board, but it certainly highlighted how deeply Bangladesh was involved or is forced to be involved in the cricketing affairs of Pakistan. What is also revealed is that sports doesn't remain untouched by international politics.
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At 1.00 am, early on Sunday (February 8), Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam Bulbul was waiting to board a flight at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. While some members of the BCB were likely asleep by then, others would have had no clue about Bulbul's itinerary. They came to know of the midnight mission only after a text message landed on the BCB directors' WhatsApp group, informing them that Aminul Islam Bulbul was heading to Lahore.
"This trip was confirmed just 90 minutes ago. I am now at the airport. Due to the short notice, I could not call anyone. The meeting will be held (on February 8) at 4 pm Lahore time. I will return on the evening of February 9," Aminul Islam Bulbul wrote in the message, according to Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo.
Even as the message confirmed that Aminul Islam Bulbul was travelling to Lahore, it left BCB directors guessing about the purpose and agenda of the visit. "I know exactly what you know. The BCB president has gone to Lahore. I will know the rest after he contacts us following the meeting like the BCB," a board member told the newspaper, seeking anonymity.
Aminul Islam Bulbul's midnight dash to Lahore was very much a part of the crisis around the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. While Bangladesh had dropped out already, Pakistan initially said it wouldn't play against India in Colombo, in solidarity with Dhaka.
The Lahore meeting, amid reports of Pakistan's possible U-turn on its India boycott, acquired significance. So, Bulbul's physical presence at the ICC-Pakistan meeting, where the global cricketing body reportedly sought the PCB's reconsideration of its decision to not play India, raised eyebrows. Was Bulbul present there to support Pakistan, which earlier backed Dhaka and was now contemplating a potential U-turn? Was it a bargaining signal? Who was bargaining and for what?
On the other hand, while the meeting also had participants joining over Zoom, why did the BCB chief feel compelled to be present in person in Lahore? The meeting's agenda was largely centred on Pakistan's case, not Bangladesh's, as Scotland had already joined the T20 World Cup as its replacement.
T20 WORLD CUP: PAK SUPPORTED DHAKA, NOW RECONSIDERING INDIA MATCH
Pakistani media reported that BCB's Aminul Islam Bulbul arrived in Lahore on Sunday, where he was received by his PCB chief executive, Salman Nasir. The PCB posted a video welcoming him, quoting Nasir as saying, "We warmly welcome the honourable guest on arrival in Pakistan".
The PCB had announced it would not play against India in their February 15 T20 World Cup group match in Colombo after Bangladesh refused to travel to India for the tournament citing security concerns. Backed by the interim regime of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh requested the ICC to shift its fixtures from India to Sri Lanka. The ICC rejected the request and replaced Bangladesh with Scotland. This triggered a chain reaction.
Then on Friday, Bangladesh's sports adviser Asif Nazrul thanked Pakistan for backing Dhaka's boycott of the T20 World Cup match. A day earlier, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly justified the move as standing "completely" with Bangladesh. This exposed how both governments made cricket a theatre of a political engagement against India.
Now, since Pakistan pulled out of the lucrative fixture against India, the ICC reportedly moved to hold talks for them to reconsider. It was in that pursuit that the ICC meeting, involving CEO Sanjog Gupta and Naqvi, was called on. And the BCB's Aminul Islam Bulbul was present in person, even as Gupta joined the meeting over Zoom.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 5-HOUR-LONG LAHORE MEETING OF ICC, PCB, BCB
The marathon five-hour meeting at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium ended without an immediate resolution. Pakistan is now expected to consult its PM Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government before taking a final call on whether it would play India on February 15. Bangladesh, anyway, is out now.
Pakistan informed the ICC that any reconsideration of its boycott would depend on three conditions. It sought a larger share of ICC revenue, restoration of bilateral cricket with India, and enforcement of a handshake protocol.
The handshake issue has its genesis in an Asia Cup match when the India players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts.
The Pakistani board also said that the final call on playing against India in the T20 World Cup would be taken only after consulting its federal government headed by PM Sharif, in which the PCB's chief, Naqvi, is the Interior Minister. Bulbul and Naqvi also reportedly had a one-on-one meeting in Lahore.
The Bangladeshi Cricket Board, like other Bangladeshi departments, has been aligning itself with Pakistan's organs. The ICC meeting was more to do with safeguarding the cricket council's revenues if Pakistan did not play with India. The loss would eventually affect annual payouts to all member boards, including Bangladesh.
Bangladesh reportedly used the Lahore talks to push for compensation or a settlement following its removal from the T20 World Cup.
SO, WHY WAS BANGLADESH PRESENT AT THE ICC-PCB MEETING?
Bangladesh's presence at the Lahore meeting was of significance despite its removal from the tournament. Pakistan is now weighing a possible U-turn after Bangladesh had already dropped out. For Bangladesh, which has no realistic pathway back into the World Cup, Aminul Islam Bulbul's presence must have been for a reason.
By attending in person, the BCB stayed consistent with its position over the past few months, which is openly siding with Pakistan. The move also strengthened Islamabad's stance and its negotiating hand with the ICC.
The India versus Pakistan match is the biggest revenue generator in world cricket. The ICC earns hundreds of millions from broadcast rights, sponsorships, and advertising. Smaller boards like Bangladesh receive a fraction of ICC revenue, but these funds, often in the millions, are crucial for running domestic cricket, paying players, and developing infrastructure. The ICC's revenue distribution helps such boards function and sustain their cricketing ecosystem, even if they do not play in marquee fixtures.
The BCB chief's presence in the meeting could also have been used by the ICC to make Pakistan reconsider its decision of not playing India, according to Bangladeshi sports analyst and journalist Deb Chowdhury.
"It is through Bangladesh that the ICC is trying to get Pakistan to agree... If the India-Pakistan match does not take place, the financial loss will be significant. But if the match goes ahead, Bangladesh could still receive the share it was meant to get, minimising the impact of its removal from the World Cup," Chowdhury said on his YouTube channel.
"If Bangladesh is assured that its absence from the World Cup will not hurt its finances or future events, it could be ready to influence Pakistan to play India, making it a win-win for all," he added.
So, Aminul Islam Bulbul's 1-am dash to Lahore might have seemed sudden and unexplained to his own board, but it certainly highlighted how deeply Bangladesh was involved or is forced to be involved in the cricketing affairs of Pakistan. What is also revealed is that sports doesn't remain untouched by international politics.
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