Bangladesh Cricket Board Unveils 2026 Schedule Including Controversial India Tour

Bangladesh's Upcoming Cricket Calendar

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced its extensive cricket calendar for 2026, which features a tour by India scheduled for August and September. This tour will consist of three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 matches. The BCB clarified that this series will replace the one originally planned for 2025, which was postponed indefinitely due to political tensions. This announcement comes at a time when anti-Bangladesh sentiments are reportedly rising in parts of India.

Particularly, some groups are criticizing the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for including Bangladeshi international player Mustafizur Rahman in their squad for the 2026 IPL season, with threats of boycotts and even violence being reported.

Controversy Surrounding Bangladeshi Players

The controversy stems from reports and images of brutal violence against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh. Protesters argue that including a Bangladeshi player at this time is insensitive. However, there has been no precedent for an IPL franchise to exclude a player from their team before the league begins. So far, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refrained from making any official comments on the matter.

Previous Tour Postponement

India was initially set to tour Bangladesh in August 2025, but both boards issued a joint statement indicating that the tour was postponed due to 'international cricket commitments and scheduling convenience' of the participants. Reports suggest that the BCCI was concerned about the security situation in Bangladesh, which has faced unrest since the coup against the government led by Sheikh Hasina.

Recent Series Postponements

In December, a scheduled series between the women's teams of India and Bangladesh was also postponed without any official announcement. Instead, a five-match series was held between India and Sri Lanka, which Harmanpreet Kaur's team won 5-0. According to the BCB, the Indian men's team is expected to arrive on August 28, with the ODI series taking place on September 1, 3, and 6, followed by the T20 matches on September 9, 12, and 13.