DIPLOMATIC TENSIONS
India was set to play 3 ODIs and 3 T20I in Bangladesh © Getty
The India tour of Bangladesh has been called off, definitively and officially. The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCCI) have confirmed this on Saturday (July 6). Cricbuzz reported about the inevitability of the tour cancellation on July 5.
The BCCI and the BCB said the six-match white ball tour has been deferred by more than 12 months. “(We) have mutually agreed to defer the white-ball series, three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, between Bangladesh and India in August 2025 to September 2026,” the two boards said in a joint statement.
“This decision has been reached following discussions between the two Boards, taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” the statement said with the Bangladesh board stating it is hoping to welcome the Indian team next year.
“The BCB looks forward to welcoming India in September 2026 for this eagerly anticipated series. Revised dates and fixtures for the tour will be announced in due course,” the Bangladesh board said. The tour was to be held from August 17 to 31.
The postponement of the tour seemed inevitable, given the ongoing diplomatic standoff between the two countries. Relations have visibly and perceptibly got strained in recent times, with the Indian government adopting a tough stance toward its eastern neighbour. Security concerns also appear to be a factor, although the joint statement makes no mention of it.
The first signs of tour’s postponement came when the BCB paused the sale process of its media rights for the next two years. Needless to say the India tour is an unfettered cash cow and the BCB was waiting for a formal nod from the BCCI to announce the resumption of the process.
Asia Cup imbroglio
The postponement of the tour has been taken by the BCCI after consultations with the Government of India. The BCCI though is still non-committal over the major fixture of the year, Asia Cup. The BCCI is consulting the government over that too, particularly on the issue of having any engagement with Pakistan, with whom the country was involved in a war in May.
There is a prevailing impression that the government, which aspires to host the Olympics in 2036, is open to allowing the Indian teams to participate in multilateral competitions, but not necessarily in the bilateral matches. The recent approval for the Pakistan hockey team to compete in the Asia Cup in India next month is seen as an extension of this policy.
The Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in the UAE from September 10 to 27, and stakeholders of the continental championship remain confident that the tournament will go ahead as planned. However, a top BCCI official, when contacted by Cricbuzz, refused to confirm either way.
© Cricbuzz
