Amid the deteriorating India-Bangladesh relations, the bilateral cricketing ties between the two nations seem to be heading to an all-time low.

After Mustafizur Rahman’s release by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the BCCI has reportedly put on hold a scheduled tour of Bangladesh in 2026, which was only recently announced by the BCB.

According to a report published in The Indian Express, the BCCI will now seek the Indian government’s approval for the tour.

The ongoing political crisis has also raised the prospect of the relationship turning into an India-Pakistan-like situation, where the two teams would play each other only on neutral venues at multilateral events.

This series was originally scheduled for 2025 but was deferred owing to strained relations between the countries.

“We didn’t travel to Bangladesh last year too, BCB had issued their international calendar, but it looks doubtful, as we need Indian government approval to play in any other country. As far as the T20I World Cup is concerned, Bangladesh will play as per the scheduled games in India," the newspaper quoted a BCCI official as saying.

India and Bangladesh were friendly neighbors for decades. Relationships turned sour after the violent ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government last year.

The current government headed by Muhammad Yunus has a markedly different diplomatic posture and is struggling with domestic instability and the rise of anti-India sentiment. The recent killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh has significantly strained relations between two nations, pushing already existing tensions into a deeper crisis.

That has also filtered into sports, with KKR receiving threat from some Indian political parties and religious groups to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.

The franchise, which signed Mustafizur for INR 9.2 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction last month, let of the left-arm quick earlier today following BCCI’s directive.

"Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL as the regulator of IPL has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season," a statement from the franchise read.

"The release has been carried out following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control of Cricket in India."

"BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders a replacement player in line with IPL regulations, and further details will be communicated in due course," it added.