BCCI made a mistake by releasing Mustafizur early from IPL, says Basit Ali

The former Pakistan batter warns a possible India–Pakistan no-show could harm world cricket

Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) mishandled the Mustafizur Rahman issue, arguing that the decision to release the Bangladesh pacer early from the IPL has set off a chain of events with wider consequences.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit said the board should have acted with more patience and waited until after the T20 World Cup before taking such a step.

“BCCI made one mistake by releasing Mustafizur Rahman early from the IPL. They could have let the matter cool down before making the announcement. If they did that after the World Cup, we wouldn't have been here,” he said.

He added that the controversy grew directly from that decision.

“The mistake stemmed right there. This led to Bangladesh refusing to travel, and now Pakistan is putting its foot down.”

Addressing the fallout involving Bangladesh’s absence from the World Cup and the Pakistan government’s potential boycott of the match against India, Basit shared his perspective on the root of the problem.

The 55-year-old warned that if the scheduled clash between India and Pakistan on Feb 15 fails to go ahead, it would be a dark day for the sport.

He noted that if Pakistan follows through with the boycott and India receives two points via a walkover, it would ultimately damage the game of cricket and its future.

While many experts have suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) could face severe ICC sanctions and financial penalties for such a move, Basit brushed aside concerns over fiscal stability.

He explained that the PCB does not lack funds, noting that the decision to boycott came directly from the Pakistani government, which would provide financial backing to the board if necessary.