The sporting ties between India and Bangladesh have taken a pointy downturn following widespread studies that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally eliminated Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak from the internet hosting panel of the continuing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26. This transfer is being seen as the most recent ripple impact in a quickly escalating diplomatic and sporting row that reached a breaking level this week. As headlines started to counsel her profession was caught within the crossfire of retaliatory measures, Pathak lastly broke her silence on January 7, 2026, to handle the scenario.
Was Ridhima Pathak dropped from the BPL 2025-26 internet hosting panel by Bangladesh? Indian presenter responds
Amidst a flurry of narratives from varied media retailers claiming she had been ousted because of the present political local weather, Ridhima Pathak took to social media to make clear the circumstances of her exit. Whereas preliminary studies recommended a focused elimination by the BCB as a response to current cricketing tensions, Pathak revealed that her departure from the T20 league’s panel was a private selection made with deep conviction. She acknowledged that the narrative suggesting she was “dropped” just isn’t true and defined that she made a private determination to choose out as a result of her nation comes first. Pathak, a mainstay in Indian sports activities broadcasting, emphasised that she values the integrity and readability of the sport far past any single project and thanked those that reached out with assist, concluding that cricket deserves the reality.
“In the previous few hours, there’s been a story suggesting I used to be ‘dropped’ from the BPL. That isn’t true. I made a private determination to choose out. For me, my nation comes first-always. And I worth the sport of cricket far past any single project. I’ve been privileged to serve this sport for years with honesty, respect, and fervour. That gained’t change. I’ll proceed to face for integrity, for readability, and for the spirit of the sport. Thanks to everybody who reached out with assist. Your messages imply greater than you already know. Cricket deserves fact. Interval. No additional feedback from my aspect.” Ridhima Pathak wrote.
Additionally READ: Amid Mustafizur Rahman row, BCB urge ICC to relocate Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India
The Mustafizur Rahman wow and IPL 2026 broadcast ban
The friction between the 2 nations reached a tipping level on January 3, 2026, when the BCCI directed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to launch Bangladeshi star pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. KKR, who had signed Mustafizur for a file ₹9.20 crore, was pressured to let him go after the BCCI cited “current developments” and safety considerations relating to the protection of minorities in Bangladesh. The fallout has been extreme, because the Bangladesh authorities subsequently imposed an indefinite ban on the telecast of IPL 2026 through native operators, claiming the transfer was within the “public curiosity” after what they labeled an unprovoked insult to their nationwide icon.
In a serious escalation, the BCB formally knowledgeable the ICC that they had been “reluctant” to travel to India for the T20 World Cup in February, demanding their matches be shifted to Sri Lanka as a consequence of safety considerations. Nonetheless, in a big blow to the BCB’s calls for, the ICC reportedly rejected the request on January 7, stating that there aren’t any credible safety threats to the Bangladesh crew in India. The worldwide physique has reportedly knowledgeable the BCB that they need to journey to the designated venues in Kolkata and Mumbai or threat forfeiting their matches and factors. As Ridhima Pathak steps away from the BPL microphone, the cricketing world is left watching an entire breakdown in relations that now threatens the participation of a complete nation within the upcoming World Cup.
Additionally READ: Bangladesh name squad for T20 World Cup 2026; no place for Jaker Ali
