India's Bangladesh tour awaits government clearance: BCCI source
By Vipul Kashyap, New Delhi, August 13
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is awaiting formal approval from the Indian government for the proposed tour of India's men's team to Bangladesh, a source in the BCCI said.
A BCCI source said the Bangladesh tour will go ahead only after government approval, with discussions currently underway with the Indian High Commission.
"The tour of Bangladesh will happen after government approval; we are in talks with the high commissioner. Our talks are on, but the final decision will come after the government's approval," a BCCI source told ANI.
The BCCI source said its relations with the BCB are now fine and the board is awaiting government approval for the tour. No window has been finalised for the series yet, but the window will be created if the government gives the go-ahead.
"Our terms with BCB are okay now, and we are looking for a go-ahead signal from our government. We have not decided a window for the series yet, but it will be created if we get approval for the same," said the BCCI source.
This comes after a strain in cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh earlier this year. The issue came to a head in January when the BCCI asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League 2026 squad amid violence against minorities in Bangladesh.
Mustafizur had been bought by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore at the December 2025 auction and was the only Bangladesh player picked that year. The BCCI later directed KKR to release him.
The move drew a strong reaction in Bangladesh. Within days, the BCB decided that its national team would not travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, citing security concerns and advice from the Bangladesh government. The board also asked the ICC to move Bangladesh's matches out of India, which the ICC declined.
In April, the BCB held a meeting in Dhaka on Saturday, chaired by then-president Aminul Islam Bulbul, to discuss the board's relations with India.
The BCB said it had sent an email to its Indian counterpart as part of regular communication. The letter discussed the Indian team's proposed tour of Bangladesh in September, the Bangladesh women's team's tour of India, and further opportunities for cooperation between the BCCI and BCB.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, BCCI is taking a principled stand. Earlier they were quick to send teams everywhere without considering the ground reality. Glad they're consulting the government this time.
It's disappointing to see politics mix with sports. Cricket should unite people, not divide them. Hope both boards sort this out soon. The fans deserve to see India vs Bangladesh on the field.
While I understand the security concerns, separating sports from politics is important. The players shouldn't suffer because of political issues. But yes, safety first - let the government decide what's best. 🙏
This is the right approach. We need to be careful about our players' safety. The situation in Bangladesh is still volatile. BCCI should wait until things settle down before sending our team there.
It's a complex situation. On one hand, you have sporting ties that need to be maintained. On the other, there are genuine concerns about the treatment of minorities. Let's hope diplomacy works its magic here.
I think the BCCI is handling this perfectly. They're not cutting ties completely, just waiting for the right time. Cricket relations can resume once things stabilize. Smart diplomacy through sports! 👏
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