Bangladesh is scrambling to save a six-match cricket tour against neighbouring India scheduled for next month. The series, comprising three one-day internationals and three T20 matches, was originally planned for August last year but was postponed after diplomatic relations soured between the two nations.
“It is being worked on at the ministerial level,” Bangladesh Sports Minister Aminul Haque said late on Monday, confirming that talks are ongoing between the foreign ministers of both countries. Dhaka and New Delhi have remained at odds since the 2024 mass uprising in Bangladesh toppled then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India, her longtime ally, where she remains in hiding.
The diplomatic strain has previously impacted sporting schedules. In February, Bangladesh refused to send a team to India for the T20 World Cup, citing security concerns. The International Cricket Council subsequently rejected a request to move those matches to Sri Lanka, leading to Scotland replacing Bangladesh in the tournament. “We want to quickly resolve the deadlock that was created around the Cricket World Cup,” Haque said. “God willing, we are hopeful that it will be resolved very soon.”
Historical context shows a complex rivalry between the two sides. India last toured Bangladesh for a cricket series in 2022, winning the Test series 2-0, while Bangladesh won the ODIs 2-1. More recently, Bangladesh toured India in September and October 2024 for two Tests and two T20 matches, during which India swept both formats.
