"You can't separate politics from sport": Jonty Rhodes speaks on Bangladesh's decision not to play in T20 WC 2026 in India

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 24 (ANI): Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes on Saturday said that there is an attempt to keep politics out of sport, but it does not always succeed.
His remarks came on the Bangladesh Cricket Board's decision not to play in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in India.
"I mean, you always think, let's keep politics out of sport... but sadly, you can't separate politics from sport...", he said.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule.
The announcement came after the ICC, in the absence of any credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team in India, rejected the BCB's demand to move its matches from India to Sri Lanka, in the 20-team tournament to be played from February 7 to March 8, according to a release.
The decision follows an extensive process undertaken by the ICC to address concerns raised by the BCB regarding the hosting of its scheduled matches in India. Over a period of more than three weeks, the ICC engaged with the BCB through multiple rounds of dialogue conducted in a transparent and constructive manner, including meetings held both via video conference and in-person.
As part of this process, the ICC reviewed the concerns cited by the BCB, commissioned and considered independent security assessments from internal and external experts, and shared detailed security and operational plans covering federal and state arrangements, as well as enhanced and escalating security protocols for the event. These assurances were reiterated at several stages, including during discussions involving the ICC Business Corporation (IBC) Board
Rhodes expressed his excitement about the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, calling the 20-team format "fantastic". Rhodes emphasised T20 unpredictability, saying one player can turn the game around in 10 minutes, making predictions tough
"The T20 World Cup now has 20 teams. I think what the ICC is doing is fantastic, hosting a 20-team tournament. I live in India for five months of the year, so I'm looking forward to the World Cup being held in my home. As for who might win, who might reach the semi-finals, it's very difficult to predict. In T20 cricket, one player can change the game in 10 minutes," he added.
The T20 World Cup will kick off on February 7, with India and Sri Lanka to co-host the tournament. (ANI)