"Cricket Deserves Truth": Ridhima Pathak, Indian Presenter, On Her Bangladesh Premier League Exit
Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak has confirmed that she wasn't removed from the Bangladesh Premier League panel but withdrew herself.
- Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak voluntarily withdrew from the Bangladesh Premier League hosting panel
- In a statement, Ridhima said: "I made a personal decision to opt out. For me, my nation comes first-always"
- "Cricket deserves truth. Period. No further comments from my side," she further said
The sporting ties between India and Bangladesh have taken a sharp downturn following reports that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officially removed Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak from the hosting panel of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). This move is viewed as the latest ripple effect in a rapidly escalating diplomatic and sporting row between the two nations. However, Pathak-a prominent figure in Indian sports broadcasting-has refuted these reports, stating that she voluntarily withdrew from the T20 league due to the current political climate.
The friction intensified on 3 January, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly directed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. In response to this decision, the Bangladesh government announced a nationwide ban on the telecast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and demanded that its T20 World Cup matches be shifted to Sri Lanka.
Amidst this back-and-forth between the BCCI and the BCB, various Bangladeshi media outlets reported that Pathak had been ousted from the BPL. Pathak quickly moved to clarify that the decision to leave the competition's panel was her own.
In a statement shared on social media, Pathak addressed the rumors directly:
"In the last few hours, there's been a narrative suggesting I was 'dropped' from the BPL. That is not true. I made a personal decision to opt out. For me, my nation comes first-always. And I value the game of cricket far beyond any single assignment. I've been privileged to serve this sport for years with honesty, respect, and passion. That won't change. I'll continue to stand for integrity, for clarity, and for the spirit of the game.
"Thank you to everyone who reached out with support. Your messages mean more than you know. Cricket deserves truth. Period. No further comments from my side."
Bangladesh's Response To Mustafizur Rahman's IPL Ouster:
Shift T20 World Cup Matches: The BCB held an emergency meeting and informed the ICC that they are reluctant to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup due to security concerns, requesting a venue change.
IPL Broadcast Ban: On 5 January, the Bangladesh government imposed a ban on the broadcast of the IPL through local operators.
As the tussle between India and Bangladesh continues, the BCB has suffered a big setback in its persuit of getting its T20 World Cup matches shifted to Sri Lanka. The ICC has told Bangladesh they must play in India or risk forfeiting their matches, while uncertainty also looms over Bangladeshi golfers participating in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).