The Bangladesh cricket team will not travel to India and will be unable to feature in the T20 World Cup for the first time in history. The decision was rooted in the interim government’s security apprehensions after diplomatic ties with New Delhi soured over the last year.
Relations reached a low point following the student protests that led to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeking refuge in India on short notice, a move the current administration views with significant scrutiny. And the communal violence in Bangladesh only added fuel to the fire.
However, in a move that reeks of inconsistency, the same administration has given the go-ahead for a two-member shooting contingent to travel to New Delhi for the Asian Shooting Championships, scheduled from February 2 to 14.
Why did the shooting contingent receive the green light while the cricket team did not?
There appears to be little logical reasoning behind the decision, beyond the fact that cricket holds massive sway over the Bangladeshi population and can be used as a high-profile tool for political posturing.
Defending the decision, Mahbub-ul-Alam, the interim Sports and Youth Affairs secretary, told The Daily Star: “Only a shooter and a coach are travelling there. The competition venue is fully secured, and the involvement of general spectators is very limited. We have also been assured by the hosts that there is no security threat.”
Who are the shooters coming to India?
Top rifle shooter Robiul Islam and his coach, Sharmin Akter—a former national shooter—will travel to the Indian capital following an eleventh-hour clearance.
Table: Bangladesh’s Contrasting Stance on India Tours (Feb 2026)
| Event | Discipline | Team Size | Venue Type | Govt Decision | Stated Reason |
| T20 World Cup | Cricket | 15+ Players | Outdoor / Stadiums | Boycott | High security risk/Extremist threat |
| Asian Championships | Shooting | 2 Members | Indoor / Range | Cleared | Controlled environment/Limited crowd |
| IPL 2026 | Cricket | Individual- Mustafizur Rahman | Multiple Cities | Blocked- IPL telecast in Bangladesh | Mustafizur Rahman released by IPL side KKR because BCCI’s directive |
Why does this matter for the T20 World Cup?
This is in clear contrast to the stance taken for the World Cup, where the government claimed India was unsafe for its athletes. By suggesting that a two-member team in a “less crowded space” is safe while a cricket team is not, the administration is engaging in a protest of convenience. It highlights a selective use of “security concerns” to justify a political boycott of a major global event, while quietly participating in smaller ones to avoid total sporting isolation.