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Bangladesh Sports Minister Seeks to Mend Ties with India After T20 WC Snub

Bangladesh's newly appointed Sports Minister, Aminul Haque, has expressed a desire to quickly resolve the diplomatic issue that led to Bangladesh's exclusion from the 2026 T20 World Cup. He met with India's deputy high commissioner for cordial talks, emphasizing the importance of friendly relations with neighbors. The minister stated that earlier resolution of the diplomatic complications might have allowed Bangladesh to participate in the tournament. This follows the ICC replacing Bangladesh with Scotland after a dispute over match venues.

Key Points: Bangladesh Sports Minister Aims to Resolve T20 WC Row with India

  • Minister seeks quick resolution
  • Met Indian deputy high commissioner
  • Diplomatic complications caused exclusion
  • Aims for cordial ties in all sectors
  • Bangladesh replaced by Scotland in 2026 WC
3 min read

Bangladesh's new sports minister Aminul Haque seeks to "resolve issue" with India after T20 WC row

New Bangladesh Sports Minister Aminul Haque meets Indian envoy to quickly resolve diplomatic issues that led to World Cup exclusion and rebuild ties.

"we want to resolve this issue quickly through discussions - Aminul Haque"

New Delhi, February 19

Aminul Haque, the former Bangladesh national team footballer and Bangladesh's newly appointed sports minister, has expressed his eagerness to repair ties with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and India, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Aminul Haque stated that he wants to "resolve this issue quickly" in reference to Bangladesh's absence from the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

He said he met India's deputy high commissioner and discussed the T20 World Cup with him. He described the talks as cordial and expressed Bangladesh's desire to resolve the matter quickly through discussions, emphasising the importance of maintaining friendly ties with neighbouring countries.

"After taking the oath today, I met with the deputy high commissioner of India at the Parliament building. I discussed the T20 World Cup with him. It was a cordial conversation. I told him that we want to resolve this issue quickly through discussions because we want to maintain friendly relations with all our neighbouring countries," Animul said on Tuesday after Bangladesh's new cabinet was sworn in following the general elections, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Aminul Haque said Bangladesh aims to build "sincere and cordial relationship" with India across all sectors, including sports. He added that diplomatic complications prevented the team from participating in the 2026 World Cup, suggesting that earlier discussions and the resolution of those issues might have made it possible for Bangladesh to participate in the marquee event.

"From sports to all other sectors, we want to build a sincere and cordial relationship [with India]. You know that because of diplomatic complications, we could not play in the World Cup. If those issues had been discussed and settled earlier, our team might have participated," Aminul Haque said.

This development comes after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the 2026 T20 World Cup, after their request to have all their matches played outside India could not be agreed upon by the International Crcket Council (ICC), which they put in place after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Mustafizur Rahman was removed from the squad following instructions from the BCCI amid concerns related to atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh.

On February 9, the ICC confirmed that Bangladesh would not face any sanctions for declining to play their T20 World Cup matches in India. Additionally, the BCB was granted the right to host an ICC event before the 2031 men's ODI World Cup, which Bangladesh is set to co-host alongside India.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
This is a mature stance. The initial demand to play all matches outside India was unrealistic and set by the previous administration. Glad the new minister is prioritizing dialogue. It benefits both nations to have strong cricketing ties.
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Arjun K
While I appreciate the sentiment, the "diplomatic complications" he mentions stem from their own internal issues. The BCCI was right to be concerned about player safety. Hope this is a genuine change in approach and not just words.
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Priyanka N
As a cricket fan, I'm disappointed Bangladesh won't be there. Their team adds great flavour to any tournament. The Mustafizur Rahman incident was unfortunate, but we must move forward. Let's hope for a quick resolution before the next bilateral series.
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Vikram M
Building relationships across all sectors is the way to go. We have deep cultural and economic ties. A small cricket dispute shouldn't overshadow the bigger picture. Welcome the minister's proactive step on his first day itself. Shubh kamnaayein.
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Karthik V
Respectfully, the tone feels a bit like damage control after losing their World Cup spot to Scotland. The ICC was fair in not sanctioning them and even giving a hosting right. Actions will speak louder than words now. Let's see if the "cordial" talks lead to concrete outcomes.

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