India’s white-ball cricket series against Bangladesh is now unlikely to happen because of growing tensions between the two countries. A top source told India Today that the Indian government has asked the BCCI not to go ahead with the tour, so the team is expected to cancel the trip.
The two nations are currently locked in a trade-related standoff. On May 17, India imposed restrictions on import routes for goods from Bangladesh, particularly ready-made garments and processed foods via integrated check posts in the Northeast. This was seen as a retaliatory move to similar curbs introduced by Bangladesh in April.
The main reason for the series being called off is the unrest in Bangladesh, which began after reports of the Sheikh Hasina government collapsing. This has caused serious tensions with neighboring countries like India and raised safety concerns for the players and officials.
“The political climate in Bangladesh is unstable, and in view of the diplomatic situation, the government has advised against the tour,” the source said, requesting anonymity.
No confirmation from BCCI
There has been no official word yet from the BCCI. India were originally scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Bangladesh starting August 17 as part of their preparation for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
The cancellation comes as a setback to both boards, especially given that the Indian T20I side hasn’t played since their 4-1 series win over England earlier this year.
The Indian team is currently touring England for a five-match Test series that concludes in early August. After the now-shelved Bangladesh tour, India are set to host the West Indies for a home Test series in October.
A white-ball tour in cricket refers to a series of matches played in the limited-overs formats using a white-colored cricket ball instead of the traditional red ball. This format includes One Day Internationals (ODIs), where each team faces 50 overs and Twenty20 (T20) matches, where each team faces 20 overs.