Youth and Sports Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul addressed a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy this afternoon. Photo: CA's Press Wing

DHAKA, Jan 15, 2026 (BSS) - Youth and Sports Adviser Professor Dr Asif Nazrul today said that Bangladesh is determined to play World Cup cricket matches in Sri Lanka, saying, "We have no chance to move away from our stance".

He made the remarks responding to a question from a journalist while he was addressing a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy here this afternoon to brief the media about the weekly meeting of the Council of Advisers.

The adviser said that an International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to visit Bangladesh for discussions over the issue.

"We are strongly determined to play World Cup cricket and want to play the matches in Sri Lanka. We firmly believe that hosting the matches there (Sri Lanka) is not impossible," Prof Asif Nazrul added.

Responding to a question over the remarks of Bangladesh Cricket Council (BCC) Director M Najmul Islam about the cricketers, the adviser said, "It was the outcome of an unwanted circumstance".

Where the entire nation stands united against the humiliation of cricketer Mustafizur Rahman, he said the comment made by a BCB director is "insulting and demeaning to all Bangladeshi cricketers".

"This seems extremely irresponsible to me," Prof Asif Nazrul said, adding that it was an internal issue of the Cricket Board, and the board itself will take appropriate action in this regard.