India, Feb. 3 -- Former ICC head of communications Sami-ul-Hasan Burney has traced the ongoing T20 World Cup turmoil back to the BCCI's handling of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's exit from the IPL earlier this year. The episode, he said, triggered a chain reaction that ultimately led to Bangladesh's removal from the tournament and Pakistan's decision to boycott its group-stage match against India.

The controversy began on January 3, when a BCCI directive, issued amid heightened regional tensions, resulted in Kolkata Knight Riders releasing Mustafizur from their IPL squad without a public explanation. The move sparked outrage in Bangladesh, with the government banning IPL telecasts and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) urging the I...