Ridhima Excluded from BPL Presentation Amid IPL Broadcast Suspension

Indian presenter Ridhima has been removed from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) presentation team just before the event. This decision coincides with the Bangladesh government's suspension of IPL broadcasts following a directive from the BCCI regarding player releases. Additionally, the ICC has denied the BCB's request to move their T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka, insisting they must play in India. This article delves into the implications of these developments for cricket in Bangladesh.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 7, 2026, 11:05 IST

Ridhima's Removal from BPL Presentation Team

Indian presenter Ridhima has been taken off the presentation panel for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). This news was reported by local media on Wednesday, citing sources from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). She was set to host the Dhaka leg of this year's BPL but was removed from the team prior to her arrival in Bangladesh.

BPL Introduces New Faces

The current BPL season kicked off in Sylhet, with the organizers introducing several new features to the presentation and commentary teams. Pakistani presenter Zainab Abbas has joined the lineup, along with well-known commentators like Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, and Darren Gough. Ridhima was expected to be part of this group but will no longer be attending.

Suspension of IPL Broadcast in Bangladesh

This development follows the Bangladesh government's decision on January 5 to halt the broadcast of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 matches in the country. This action came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) requested Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. The IPL is set to commence on March 26.

The KKR announced the removal of Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster, citing a directive from the BCCI regarding the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. In light of this, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an official letter stating that all IPL matches and related broadcasts will be suspended until further notice, as confirmed by the Press Information Department (PID) on Monday.

ICC Denies BCB's Venue Change Request

In another development, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down the BCB's request to relocate their matches from India to Sri Lanka for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, according to reports from ESPNcricinfo.

A virtual meeting took place on Tuesday between the ICC and BCB, during which the ICC informed the BCB that their request to move matches outside India was denied due to security issues. The ICC emphasized that the Bangladeshi men's national cricket team must travel to India for their T20 World Cup matches or face the risk of forfeiting points. No official statements have been released by either the BCB or ICC regarding the outcome of this meeting, which was prompted by the BCB's request on Sunday.