‘Fizz still not in IPL’: Chopra stirs talk on Bangladesh cricket

Former India cricketer and analyst Aakash Chopra on Tuesday sparked fresh discussion over Bangladesh cricket’s position in the global landscape with a series of pointed observations on his YouTube channel.

Chopra appeared to take a subtle dig at Bangladesh while referring to pacer Mustafizur Rahman, saying, “Fizz wasn’t playing in the Indian Premier League before, and he still isn’t playing in the IPL.” 

The former opener also drew attention to key aspects of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) official communication, noting that the world governing body has repeatedly emphasised the importance of Bangladesh’s cricket-following public.

According to Chopra, the ICC has also assured that Bangladesh will host an ICC event before the 2031 World Cup, reaffirming the country’s long-term relevance in global cricket administration.

However, Chopra pointed out that the ICC made no mention of bilateral or tri-nation series. 

“If a country does not want to play a series, what can the ICC actually do?” the India commentator asked, highlighting the governing body’s limited authority in such matters.