New Delhi: India’s highly anticipated white-ball tour of Bangladesh — featuring star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — has been effectively cancelled, with strained diplomatic ties between the two nations reportedly prompting the indefinite suspension of the series.
Originally scheduled from August 17 to 31, the tour was set to include three ODIs and three T20Is, marking a significant comeback for senior Indian players in limited-overs cricket. However, according to a Cricbuzz report, the series is now off the table for the time being, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) halting all related preparations, including the sale of media rights for the tour.
While the BCB remains hopeful of rescheduling the series in the future, it is currently shifting its focus toward the upcoming home series against Pakistan, which begins July 17. The board has paused efforts to sell broadcasting rights for the India tour amid growing uncertainty.
“We’re continuing with our preparations but taking time to assess the market. There’s no urgency — we can issue separate contracts later,” a senior BCB official told Cricbuzz.
An Indian broadcaster reportedly confirmed the cancellation, stating that the BCB had informed them the India series is not happening, and that no Invitation to Tender (ITT) had been provided after the initial announcement. The BCB, instead, is now marketing rights exclusively for the Pakistan series.
While neither the BCCI nor the Indian government has released an official statement, tensions in the region appear to have played a decisive role. The political climate has remained volatile, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which led to heightened India-Pakistan tensions. Bangladesh’s recent alignment with Pakistan in international forums has reportedly further soured bilateral relations.
According to the report, the Indian government has been non-committal about greenlighting the Bangladesh tour, with internal sentiment in India perceived as unfavorable for sending a national team to Dhaka at this time.
“The date for the India series hasn’t been fixed yet. The BCCI informed us that touring in August will be difficult. This is part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP),” the BCB official added.
A final decision is expected within the next week, though all signs currently point toward the tour’s cancellation. With the Indian broadcasters backing out and no concrete commitment from Indian authorities, the tour appears unlikely to go ahead as planned.
Interestingly, even as political ties influence bilateral tours, India has confirmed it will not block Pakistan’s participation in upcoming multi-nation sporting events on Indian soil. According to sources cited by NDTV, Pakistan’s hockey teams will be permitted to participate in the Asia Cup and Junior World Cup scheduled in India, in adherence to the Olympic Charter.
A senior ministry official clarified that barring Pakistan from international multi-team events would violate global sporting norms. “There is no bar on Pakistan’s participation in such events,” the source said, noting that bilateral ties and multilateral competitions are handled differently.
The cancellation of the India-Bangladesh tour underscores how geopolitics can impact cricketing schedules, despite the game’s traditional role in building bridges between nations. With both cricket boards now looking to recalibrate, the tour’s future remains uncertain — as does the return of some of India’s biggest cricketing stars to the limited-overs format.
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