Hosts Bangladesh issued the order after an outcry over images of locals waving Pakistani flags during the recent Asia Cup.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) made the ruling on Tuesday, on the eve of the country’s 44th independence day.
Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad said the move violated the spirit of the game.
“I am surprised at the decision,” Miandad told AFP.
“Cricket is a game which harbours sportsman spirit and this decision violates that spirit.”Another former captain, Mohammad Yousuf, urged the BCB to rethink.
“I am sure that the BCB will take this decision back because it defies logic and I am sure the International Cricket Council will seek some explanation,” Yousuf said.
Yousuf, who played 90 Tests and 288 ODIs for Pakistan, said he had always been warmly received in Bangladesh.
“I have seen the home fans want to support Pakistan whenever their own team is not competing against us,” he said.
Younis Khan, another former captain, agreed Bangladesh should reconsider their decision.
“It is against the spirit of the game as you cannot stop anyone from supporting his favourite team,” he said.
Bangladesh and Pakistan face each other in a potentially crucial World T20 group match in Mirpur on Sunday.
Source: DAWN
This is a clear demonstration of how low we have stooped to and how insecured we have become as a nation, under a political leadership that is increasing proving itself to be obnoxiously lowly and inherently indecent.
By imposing flag ban in the on-going 2014 T20 World Cup Cricket tournament that is currently being held in Bangladesh these vanguards (more precisely, the goons) of so-called “Swadhinotar Chetona’ (spirit of independence) have done exactly the opposite of what the nation aspired to achieve through independence – the freedom to choose. This is now dashed in ways more than one.
Instead of growing as a proud, self-confident, tolerant, freedom loving fun nation we are made to evolve as a nation that is hate-filled, narrow-minded and mean!
Shame on us – shame on us becuase far from protesting these incursions into our freedom and dignity we tolerate and even applaud deeds of these goons that push us into the lowest pit of character attributes that a nation can or should ever evolve into!!
Totally agree with ADK’s observations.
We are a bunch of sore losers. The reason for all this is nothing but envy. Our team is not of test standard. The ‘Chetona’ people are none other then the thugs of the ruling party. What do you expect from a person like ‘Papon’. Yes, the BCB president likes to be known by this name!