BCCI Puts Bangladesh Tour On Hold, Emergency Meeting Called By BCB: Report
The ongoing tensions between India and Bangladesh are taking a new turn every day.
The ongoing tensions between India and Bangladesh are taking a new turn every day. The situation, which began with the killing of minorities in Bangladesh, has now led to the removal of pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders' squad for the upcoming edition of the IPL. The BCCI directed KKR to release Rahman following backlash in India over his inclusion in the tournament. Amid all this, another shocking development has emerged: the BCCI might now put its tour to Bangladesh on hold.
According to a report by Times of India, the BCCI has put Team India's planned a white-ball tour in Bangladesh on hold. It has also been reported that Bangladesh Cricket Board also held a meeting on Saturday night to discuss their response on BCCI's move.
"BCCI's stance remains the same. The board will need approval from the government before going ahead with any tour to Bangladesh. As of now, BCCI hasn't confirmed the itinerary. This is independent of the Mustafizur's ouster," a BCCI official told TOI.
It is also worth noting that BCCI had earlier cancelled Team India's tour to Bangladesh in 2025, following the diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Meanwhile, BCB has been instructed by its sports ministry to seek shifting of the country's T20 World Cup league games from India to Sri Lanka as there are "concerns about players' safety".
BCB president and former Bangladesh skipper Aminul Islam Bulbul refrained from making any public comment after an Emergency board meeting following the development.
However, government advisor Asif Nazrul said he has instructed the Board to ask the Jay Shah-led ICC to shift Bangladesh's four league games -- three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai -- to Sri Lanka.
"As the adviser in charge of the Ministry of Sports, I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to put the entire matter in writing and explain it to the ICC," Nazrul wrote in Bengali on his Facebook page.
"The board must make it clear that if a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, cannot play in India, then the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling to India to play the World Cup.
Bangladesh's four league games are -- against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9), England (February 14) in Kolkata followed by their last game against Nepal (February 17) in Mumbai.
(With PTI Inputs)
Bangladesh Cricket Team
India Cricket Team