While the ICC have given the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) a day to change their mind before their omission from the mega event is made official, the events of the last few days have put India and Bangladesh at a crossroads. While in diplomacy and international relations, things quickly change (with elections in Bangladesh in February that could happen), but if the current status quo remains, the two-time Asia Cup finalist might have dug a grave for their own future.
Bangladesh Faces Long-Term Damage
The Immediate Financial Reward: If Bangladesh refuses to play in India and is forced to skip the tournament, it could miss out on the participation fee from the competition, which is a major source of revenue for other teams. Although Zimbabwe did get the money in 2009 when they pulled out of the 2009 T20 World Cup, the decision had come from themselves. In this case, it will not be the same, and hence, they could be left without a penny, although more will be known in the future.
Looming Players Revolt?: It was a few days ago that cricketers in Bangladesh went on a massive revolt and boycotted the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) after a top official in the BCB made a remark claiming that the financial fallout from the team not playing the tournament would only be felt by the players and not the governing body. While the problem at that time was the disrespect towards the players, it will be interesting to see how the players react if they are forced to miss the chance of playing at a World Cup, which they had qualified for on merit. Moreover, if they have to face a financial fallout from the decision, it could make things tough.
Bilateral Halt Against India?: A few days ago, Bangladesh announced their schedule for the home season in 2026 and revealed India will visit them for a white-ball tour in September despite the Men in Blue refusing to tour the country in August last year, while a five-match T20I series between the women’s teams scheduled to be held in India was also cancelled.
This could be the most immediate impact of the fallout, with that series unlikely to happen now. India putting an indefinite ban on bilateral matches against Bangladesh, like they have done against Pakistan, will not be a surprise. It is no secret that every cricketing nation looks at playing India as a cash cow. For a cricketing nation like Bangladesh that is still looking to make a mark, can they afford to miss out on the revenue consistently?
The next impact will be on the World Test Championship (WTC), as this will mean India will only play seven of the nine teams in the competition in each cycle. However, the addition of three teams from 2027, as per reports, could make it a less complicated situation.
Bangladesh Player Loses Out On Franchise Cricket Opportunities?: While BCCI’s decision to ask Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad kickstarted the controversy, that could have been an isolated incident with players from Bangladesh missing out on the 2026 season. However, this could now mean that players from the country are barred from the world’s richest cricket league for an extended period. Moreover, leagues in other countries have a strong Indian connection, with Indians owning teams all across the board. This could mean that Bangladeshi players struggle to find chances in other leagues, which would mean they struggle to find bidders in most top leagues. This would mean their players lose chances to earn big money, but also their development faces significant hurdles.
The End of the Asia Cup?: The tension between India and Bangladesh is the latest between Asian cricket giants after India and Pakistan as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan. While the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has continued to announce tournaments across genders at various levels over the last few months, one wonders how long that can continue in this socio-political environment, especially after the unpleasant events at the 2025 Men’s Senior Asia Cup.
In 2027, the tournament is set to be played in the ODI format in Bangladesh. Will the tournament take place, and if it does, will India travel to Bangladesh, or will a neutral country once again have to be picked?
The 2031 ODI World Cup: Bangladesh is set to host the 2031 ODI World Cup alongside India in what will mark the first time in 20 years that the mega event will take place in the country as well as the first men’s senior ICC event in the country in 17 years after the 2014 T20 World Cup. However, if the tensions with India remain, can the two countries host a tournament together? While five years remain, this will be a situation to keep an eye on. Bangladesh was unable to host the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup due to civil unrest in the country and they might be heading towards losing the right to host another major event.
Bangladesh’s Crucial Decision
While the ICC has given Bangladesh 24 hours to change their stance, the decision they make in the next few hours will have long-lasting implications. While the damage to a certain extent has been done, a change in heart could be a step towards reviving relations with India. However, if they decide against playing the tournament, they might just dig their own grave.