India’s tour of Bangladesh is all but cancelled, although no formal announcement has been made yet. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has halted preparations for the short white-ball series scheduled for next month, largely due to the worsening diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The first concrete indication of the tour being shelved, or at least delayed, was the BCB’s decision to suspend the sale of its media rights. The technical bidding was initially planned for Monday (July 7), with financial bidding to follow on Thursday (July 10). Despite the setback, the BCB remains optimistic that the lucrative India series can be rescheduled for a later time.
With the India tour uncertain, the BCB has paused long-term media rights sales and is currently focusing only on the Pakistan T20I series from July 17 to 25. The Invitation to Tender has been delayed, and the BCCI has indicated August may not be feasible for the India tour. A final decision is expected within a week, with a joint statement from both boards likely.
India Likely to Skip Bangladesh Tour Due to Strained Ties
The general sentiment in India appears to be unfavourable toward the scheduled tour of Bangladesh, as tensions between the two countries have recently escalated. Although there has been no official word from either side, it is understood that the Indian government has informally advised the BCCI to hold off on the tour due to the ongoing diplomatic standoff.
The Indian government has cleared Pakistan’s hockey team for the Asia Cup in Bihar, highlighting its selective stance on sports ties. While it appears to oppose bilateral series with Pakistan and Bangladesh, participation in multilateral events may still be allowed. Whether this applies to the Asia Cup cricket tournament remains uncertain.
The BCB initially offered media rights in three categories—TV, digital, and DTH—before revising the tender to allow flexible, territory-wise bidding or a global bundle. Bangladesh are scheduled to play 49 home games by May 2027. Due to time constraints, the board has decided to sell rights only for the upcoming Pakistan series for now.
Bangladesh’s scheduled home fixtures for the current cycle
- 3 T20Is vs Pakistan from July 17-25
- 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs India from Aug 17 to 31
- 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs West Indies from Oct 15 to Nov 1
- 2 Tests, 3 T20Is vs Ireland from Nov 7 to Dec 3
- 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs Pak from March 25 to April 29, 2026
- 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs New Zealand from May 6 to 24
- 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is vs Australia from June 2 to 19 2026
- 2 Tests vs West Indies from Oct 18 to Nov 10, 2026
- 2 Tests vs England in Feb 2027
- 5 ODIs vs Pakistan in May 2027
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