SerpApi.Org
Bangladesh is hoping to use sports diplomacy to repair strained cricketing ties with India as it pushes ahead with plans to host the neighbouring country for a white-ball series in September.
Relations between the two boards deteriorated earlier this year after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from Kolkata Knight Riders' squad ahead of the Indian Premier League following directions from the BCCI. The controversy snowballed into a wider diplomatic issue, eventually leading to Bangladesh's withdrawal from the T20 World Cup, with the board citing security concerns.
The fallout also affected India's scheduled tour of Bangladesh. Originally slated for August 2025, the six-match series was deferred to September 2026 amid tensions between the two countries. According to the revised itinerary released by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), India are expected to arrive on August 28, with the three ODIs scheduled for September 1, 3 and 6, followed by three T20 Internationals on September 9, 12 and 13.
Bangladesh's State Minister for Youth and Sports, Aminul Haque, said the government was placing significant emphasis on sports diplomacy to restore normalcy.
"We have already spoken to the Indian Embassy, they have also spoken to us and they are all waiting for India to come to Bangladesh in September," Aminul told Cricbuzz, expressing confidence that the tensions between the two nations would ease.
BCB PRESSES AHEAD DESPITE UNCERTAINTY
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the tour, the BCB has continued preparations. Earlier this month, it floated a tender for television and digital media rights covering its home international fixtures in 2026 and 2027, including India's visit, signalling optimism that the series will proceed as planned. BCB media committee chairman Asif Rabbani recently reiterated the board's confidence in hosting one of world cricket's biggest teams.
Bangladesh have also shown their commitment by postponing a scheduled tour of Ireland to keep the September window free for India. The board has further indicated that it is ready to strengthen security arrangements if necessary.
For Bangladesh, successfully staging India's tour would represent far more than just another bilateral series—it would be a powerful demonstration of cricket's ability to mend fractured ties.
