Mustafizur Fallout: Bangladesh Bans Telecast of IPL Matches, has Sought Change of T20 World Cup Venues

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Jan 5: In an expected retaliatory move, the Bangladesh government on Monday banned the telecast of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches after petitioning the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift all the Bangladesh matches in the Men’s T20 World Cup from India to Sri Lanka after the Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL squad of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) under orders from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

A statement from Bangladesh Information and Broadcast Ministry stated that no “logical reason” was given by the BCCI while instructing the KKR to release Rahman from its 2026 roster. The IPL is due to start on March 26. “No logical reason for such a decision (Rahman’s release) by the BCCI is known, and such a decision has saddened, hurt, and aggrieved the people of Bangladesh,” read the government notification.

“In this situation, until further notice, it is requested by order to stop the broadcasting/telecasting of all matches and programs of the Indian Premier League (IPL). “This order is issued with the approval of the proper authority and in the public interest,” said the signed by assistant secretary Feroz Khan.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, while announcing the diktat to release Rahman, had merely stated that it was being done because of “developments all around,” without explaining the specifics. The Indo-Bangladesh relationship has hit a rocky patch after the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year following anti-government protests and was sentenced to death in absentia by a tribunal for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.

The “Mustafizur Row” has now transcended the IPL broadcast in Bangladesh, but wider implications are expected on the global cricketing spectrum too, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board asking the International Cricket Council to shift its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. On 4 January 2026, the BCB formally notified the ICC that it would not send its national team to India for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (scheduled to begin on February 07).

The BCB has requested the ICC to relocate their matches — originally slated for Mumbai and Kolkata — to Sri Lanka, citing a breakdown in trust regarding player security. This move threatens to create a “Pakistan-style” cricketing wall between India and Bangladesh, potentially ending bilateral series for the foreseeable future.

The T20 World Cup 2026 is spiralling into a state of total disarray following BCB’s request to relocate its fixtures. This crisis, emerging just one month before the tournament’s 7 February start date has posed a monumental challenge for the ICC and its chairman, Jay Shah, the son of the union home minister Amit Shah. The original itinerary placed Bangladesh in the cricket-centric city of Kolkata, conveniently located near the border, for three of its Group C fixtures.

Organisers are now left scrambling to secure venues and accommodation in Sri Lanka at the eleventh hour. According to reports, the ICC is already drafting a revised schedule in an attempt to accommodate the request. This last-minute overhaul is expected to be a logistical nightmare, especially given the tournament’s proximity.

Under the initial schedule, Bangladesh were set to begin their campaign in Kolkata against the West Indies on 7 February, followed by matches against Italy on 9 February and England on 14 February. Their group stage was then due to conclude against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium on 17 February.

The political weight of the situation was underscored by Asif Nazrul, the advisor for Youth and Sports in the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government. In a statement on Facebook, he said: “We won’t stand for any insult to Bangladesh’s cricket, cricketers, and the country. The days of slavery are over.”

He further asserted that if a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play in India despite being under contract, the national team cannot be expected to feel safe competing in a World Cup hosted there. Despite the administrative upheaval, the BCB has finalised its squad for the tournament, with Litton Das set to lead the 15-member contingent.