Dhaka, April 4: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), led by president Aminul Islam Bulbul, held a meeting on Saturday to review cricketing ties with India, confirming that formal communication has been sent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding upcoming bilateral tours and future collaboration opportunities.
Earlier, the BCB had written an email to the BCCI regarding the bilateral tours and series. As per the ICC Future Tour Programme, India is scheduled to play Bangladesh in a series.
The Indian men’s team is scheduled to tour Bangladesh in September 2026 for a six-match white-ball series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. Initially planned for August 2025, the tour was deferred due to scheduling and security issues. Following a proposal from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the final itinerary is now awaiting confirmation between the two boards.
A few months back, the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) directed Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release (the only) Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman (auctioned for $1 million) from its 2026 squad.
The decision did not bode well with the Bangladesh government and public, and the BCB responded by seeking relocation of their team’s matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 from India to Sri Lanka, citing ‘security concerns’ for its players.
Despite repeated assessments, the ICC rejected such a request, citing a lack of any credible security threats for Bangladeshi players. Bangladesh was eventually withdrawn from the T20 World Cup and replaced by Scotland.
The matter was eventually resolved with the BCB avoiding a hefty fine from ICC and getting the hosting rights of an ICC event in 2028.
Bangladesh also decided to ban the broadcast of IPL matches in the country, though the ban was lifted recently.
As matters stand, the latest round of communication between the two boards signals a cautious yet significant step towards normalcy, even as the recent past continues to cast a long shadow over bilateral relations.
Cricket, in this part of the world, has never existed in isolation — it moves with sentiment, politics, public perception and, at times, national pride.
For the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the priority now appears to be rebuilding trust and ensuring that its players are assured of both opportunity and security, while for the BCCI, maintaining the integrity of scheduling and global commitments remains paramount.
The proposed 2026 tour, therefore, is more than just a set of fixtures; it is a test of intent, diplomacy and mutual understanding.
If handled with clarity and cooperation, it could mark the beginning of a more stable and constructive phase between the two cricketing neighbours. However, any further missteps could once again strain ties that have only just begun to steady themselves.
In the end, as both boards weigh their options and await final confirmations, the larger hope will be that cricket regains its rightful place — as a bridge between nations rather than a point of contention, allowing players and fans alike to focus on the game, not the noise around it. (IANS)
