India-Bangladesh political tensions set to hit bilateral cricket as series in doubt

New Delhi: The worsening diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh could put bilateral cricket between the two nations in cold storage for some time as the BCCI is unlikely to tour the neighbouring country despite the announcement of an engagement by the BCB.

On Friday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said that a six-match white-ball series would be played in September. It even announced the dates, claiming to have consulted the BCCI.

As per the BCB's schedule, three ODIs will be played on September 1, 3 and 6, while the T20Is will be played on September 9, 12 and 13 after the Indian team reaches Bangladesh on August 28.

The series was originally scheduled to be held last year but was called off indefinitely due to security concerns of the Indian board.

It is reliably learnt that the BCCI is unlikely to play ball even this time, a big indication of it being its instruction to IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the squad.

BCCI's reluctance to rour comes from the current volatile situation in Bangladesh, which has been in the grip of political violence for the past six months.

As early as next month, Bangladesh are scheduled to play their T20 World Cup games in India and BCB's stance on that would be keenly watched in the wake of Rahman's ouster from the IPL on BCCI instructions.

If the situation gets any worse then a scenario similar to the situation between India and Pakistan is not completely unimaginable.

India and Pakistan play all their ICC games at neutral venues due to frosty relations that have deteriorated further after the Pahalgam terror attack last year.

The much-awaited Indo-Pak fixture of the T20 World Cup will be played in Sri Lanka next month.

The relationship between India and Bangladesh has gone south after the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year following anti-government protests.

She was sentenced to death in absentia by a tribunal this year for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.

Dhaka summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma five times over various issues, while India summoned Bangladesh's High Commissioner Reaz Hamidullah once to express concerns over security in Bangladesh.

The transition, from what was widely regarded as an "India-friendly" Awami League government to Muhammad Yunus-led interim dispensation, significantly altered Bangladesh's diplomatic position.