India-Bangladesh cricketing relations hit an all-time low on Saturday (January 3) after the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from a contract to play IPL 2026.
The franchise, which signed Mustafizur for INR 9.2 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction last month, obliged to the board’s diktat and let of the left-arm quick from Bangladesh.
The move comes amid the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh where minorities in the country have been attacked.
However, the decision hasn’t gone down well with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as the governing body has decided to approach ICC for a change of venue for their matches during the Men's T20 World Cup that India will be hosting jointly with Sri Lanka.
BCB has expressed apprehension over the safety of its players in India and therefore sought a change of venues.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play matches against the West Indies (Feb 7, 2026), Italy (Feb 9), and England (Feb 14) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Nepal (Feb 17) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Speaking to Telecom Asia Sport, a top BCB official said that it will be putting the ball in ICC's court following the BCCI’s call, as relation between the two nations is deteriorating with each passing day.
“I cannot make any comment regarding the release of Mustafizur as this is their internal matter, but as far as taking part in the World Cup is concerned, it is an ICC event, and they will make the final call after taking everything into consideration,” the BCB official said.
The official said the BCB will take up the matter regarding the T20 World Cup with the ICC at the earliest and mentioned that Pakistan too have decided not to play in India after the BCCI refused to travel across the border to play their matches in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Meanwhile, BCCI chief Mithun Manhas on Saturday clarified that no decision has been made regarding Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup participation in India.
“The BCCI has taken this decision after thorough consultation, and Mr Saikia has already conveyed it to the media. The decision is related only to the IPL; we have not discussed the World Cup yet. We will share details once that is done," Manhas was quoted as saying to IANS.
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 the BCCI also putting on hold a scheduled tour of Bangladesh in 2026, which was recently announced by the BCB. The Indian board will now reportedly seek the central government’s approval for the tour.
The BCB is also likely to raise this issue with the ICC when it engages with the sport's global governing body over the T20 World Cup venues issue.
(With IANS Inputs)
