India’s Shubman Gill and KL Rahul shakes fingers with Bangladesh gamers after Champions Trophy match in UAE, Dubai on February 20, 2025. — ReutersBangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman launched by IPL franchise.Dhaka desires crew’s T20 World Cup matches to be held in Sri Lanka.Dignity, safety of our cricketers are our prime priorities: BCB chief.
DHAKA: Bangladesh will request that their matches at subsequent month’s T20 World Cup be performed in Sri Lanka, after India pressured a Bangladeshi participant to give up the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“The days of slavery are over.”
Bangladesh quick bowler Mustafizur Rahman was on Saturday launched by the Kolkata Knight Riders after the IPL crew had been “advised” by Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take action, following tensions between the neighbouring nations.
Nazrul stated he had ordered the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write down to the Worldwide Cricket Council (ICC).
“The board should inform that, where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladeshi cricket team cannot feel safe going to play in the World Cup,” he wrote.’
“I have also instructed the board to request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches should be held in Sri Lanka.”
Dignity, safety ‘prime precedence’
The T20 World Cup begins on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are scheduled to play their 4 group matches in India.
Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, a part of a deal that permits each India and Pakistan to play at impartial venues in multi-nation tournaments.
Political relations between India and Bangladesh soured after a mass rebellion in Dhaka in 2024 toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, an in depth ally of New Delhi.
India’s overseas ministry final month condemned what it known as “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s interim chief, Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has accused India of exaggerating the size of the violence.
BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul stated the board had been contemplating their choices.
“The dignity and security of our cricketers are our top priorities, and we will take a decision at the appropriate time, keeping these in mind,” he advised reporters late Saturday.
Mustafizur, who has beforehand performed within the IPL for different groups, was snapped up at public sale in December by Kolkata for greater than $1 million.
However BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that “considering recent developments” Kolkata had been “advised to release” the 30-year-old.
The 2026 IPL season begins on March 26.
Nazrul stated he would additionally ask that the IPL be blocked by Bangladeshi broadcasters.
“I have requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to stop the broadcasting of the IPL tournament in Bangladesh,” he stated.
Kolkata, majority-owned by Bollywood famous person Shah Rukh Khan, subsequently stated that Mustafizur’s “release has been carried out following due process and consultations”.
The cricket row comes solely days after tensions between the nations had appeared to have eased.
India’s International Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Bangladesh final week, essentially the most senior go to by an Indian official for the reason that overthrow of Hasina.
On Friday, the BCB introduced that India would go to Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in September.
Bangladesh will maintain its first elections for the reason that rebellion on February 12.
