Indian sports activities presenter Ridhima Pathak. — Instagram@ridhimapathak
Sporting relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated sharply amid a sequence of developments involving their cricket boards and ongoing and upcoming T20 tournaments.
Reviews initially emerged that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had eliminated Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak from the internet hosting panel of the continued Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
The stories described the transfer as the most recent fallout from an escalating diplomatic and sporting dispute between the 2 international locations.
Nevertheless, Pathak, who’s a outstanding determine in Indian sports activities broadcasting, denied that she had been eliminated, claiming that she had voluntarily stepped away from the league as a result of prevailing political local weather.
Tensions intensified on January 3 when the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly instructed the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to launch Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.
In a press release, the BCB mentioned it had determined to not ship its crew to India, which is co-hosting the upcoming match with Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh authorities additionally introduced a nationwide ban on the telecast of the IPL and demanded that its matches within the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
Towards this backdrop, a number of media shops claimed that Pathak had been ousted from the BPL, prompting her to publicly make clear her place.
“In the last few hours, there’s been a narrative suggesting I was ‘dropped’ from the BPL. That is not true. I made a personal decision to opt out. For me, my nation comes first-always. And I value the game of cricket far beyond any single assignment. I’ve been privileged to serve this sport for years with honesty, respect, and passion. That won’t change. I’ll continue to stand for integrity, for clarity, and for the spirit of the game.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out with support. Your messages mean more than you know. Cricket deserves truth. Period. No further comments from my side,” she wrote in her Instagram tales.
