Power Play: BCCI, Bangladesh and the crisis of sporting values

Traditionally, sports and games have not merely been arenas for the display of physical prowess and skills but also avenues for bringing people together. When Baron Pierre de Coubertin mooted the idea of reviving the ancient Greek Olympics, he intended to promote peace, unity, cooperation, and understanding among the nations of the world through the power of sport. The underlying spirit of the Olympics that emphasises the importance of participating rather than winning exemplifies this goal.

Though the Olympics has been used as a venue on numerous occasions to voice political opinion, this core principle has endured, as can be seen from the enthusiastic participation in the event by all countries across the globe.

The same principle applies to championships in all sports at all levels. While there is intense competition on the field, it is tempered by sportsmanship, mutual respect and, above all, a sense of camaraderie. Athletes and players learn from the good practices of others and strive hard to attain perfection in their chosen disciplines. There will be many failures in the path, but they get up after each fall and sports history is replete with great performers lending each other a helping hand.

Organising international events is a challenging assignment for bodies entrusted with that task. The prestige of the entire nation is invariably at stake, and the authorities in charge work hard to ensure there are no hiccups or surprises along the way. Further, in the present era, where live coverage of events through visual and digital media to a worldwide audience is the norm, these championships are a huge source of revenue for the organisers as well. With fans around the world focused on the event, there is no room for mistakes in the conduct of an international tournament.

Amongst the sports bodies in India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) alone can claim to have the expertise and experience to host international events with poise and aplomb. The conduct of numerous ICC championships and the annual editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have vested the BCCI with remarkable prowess and confidence, leading the organisation to function like a well-oiled machine. There have hardly been any occasions to criticise or find fault with the organisational acumen displayed by the Board or its team of officials.

Hence, one was looking forward to yet another display of organisational brilliance by BCCI during the T20 World Cup 2026. No eyebrows were raised when the matches involving Pakistan were moved to Sri Lanka, given the poor relations between Delhi and Islamabad and the obvious security risk the Pakistan side might face in India. Even the marquee India-Pakistan tie, which has become a permanent fixture of ICC championships of late, will be played in Sri Lanka.

But the latest developments involving Bangladesh threaten the smooth conduct of this championship. It is no secret that diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh are going through a phase of turbulence after Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee Dhaka and a caretaker government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed charge of the administration. The rise of fundamentalist forces in Bangladesh and the attacks on persons belonging to minority communities worsened the situation further. But the situation has not reached a stage where there exists a general ire against the people of that country amongst the lay public in India.

Hence, the BCCI's decision to direct Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman came as a shock to fans of the game in India.

Mustafizur has been playing in the IPL regularly since 2016 and has earned a reputation as a hardworking, dependable left-arm medium-pace bowler. He has played for five teams during this period and taken 65 wickets. He was released by Delhi Capitals (DC) after the 2025 season and bought by KKR during the mini auction held at Abu Dhabi for ₹9.2 crore. Incidentally, he was the only player from Bangladesh to figure in the final list of cricketers for the next edition of IPL.

BCCI did not give any reason for its decision, nor has KKR offered any explanation. That BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia mentioned vaguely about “recent developments going on all across” suggests that this decision was a reaction to criticisms that had arisen in some quarters against KKR and its owner Shah Rukh Khan for including Mustafizur in the side. Bangladesh's government retaliated angrily by banning the broadcasting of IPL matches there. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), for its part, announced that the national side will not travel to India for the T20 World Cup and sought to hold their matches in Sri Lanka.

While BCCI’s decision to ask KKR to release Mustafizur solely on account of his nationality was an unpleasant surprise, the crisis that unfolded in Bangladesh following BCB's decision not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup was completely unexpected. Many questioned the wisdom of BCB in making this decision and the financial implications it could entail.

BCCI’s financial muscle and influence over the ICC are well known, and most nations tend to exercise prudence and avoid rubbing the Indian body the wrong way. Further, BCB's financial position is not strong enough for them to take on the might of BCCI.

When these questions were posed to Najmul Islam, the chairman of the finance committee of BCB, he went on record to say that BCB would not face any financial repercussions for staying away from the T20 World Cup. He went one step further and said that the only losers would be the players who stood to lose the match fees, besides any individual awards that they might win for their performances. For good measure, he added that there was no question of compensating players since they were not asked to refund any amount when they performed poorly.

The suggestion implied in the words of Najmul Islam that players adopted a mercenary attitude led to a wave of protests from the cricketers, who decided to boycott the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League till he was removed from the post and offered an unconditional apology. Realising the gravity of the situation, BCB immediately relieved Najmul from his position as chairman of the finance committee. Though the cricketers continued their demand for a public apology and his sacking as BCB director, a compromise was reached between the players and BCB, leading to the resumption of the BPL from January 15.

ICC has not yet taken a final decision on the request of BCB to shift their matches from India. If this body were to refuse this request, Bangladesh would forfeit all its matches in this championship. BCCI has reiterated their stand that there exist no grounds for any apprehensions about the security of the Bangladesh team and players when they visit India to take part in this championship. Hence, as things stand now, it appears highly unlikely that BCB's demand for their matches to be played in Sri Lanka will be acceded to.

At this juncture, it merits mention here that the entry of Bangladesh into the world of Test cricket was facilitated to a large extent by BCCI. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the top honcho of Indian cricket during the 1990s, took numerous measures to help Bangladesh attain this goal. He won their support for the bid of the Indian subcontinent to host the 1996 World Cup and returned the favour by allotting the ICC Knockout Championship to Bangladesh.

After the 1999 World Cup, where Bangladesh created history by defeating Pakistan, the nation was granted Test playing status. When Dalmiya passed away in 2015, not only did the then BCB president pay glorious tributes to him, all the cricketers playing the National League wore black arm bands as a mark of respect. No other cricket administrator in the history of the game has inspired such respect and regard in countries outside his own.

It is sad that BCCI has suddenly taken on the role of villain in Bangladesh cricket, after being hailed and feted as a true friend not too long ago. It would have been better had the organisational strength and financial clout of BCCI been used to improve its standing and popularity amongst other cricket-playing nations. It should not be forgotten that helping the underdogs and standing up for the genuine rights of the less endowed ones are the hallmarks of a true hero.

This is the second time in last five months that India have allowed geo-political tensions in their neighbourhood influence the behaviour on the cricket field. The first took place during the Asia Cup held in the UAE where the decision of Indian players not to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts left a bad taste in the mouths of followers of the game. Their decision not to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the President of the Asian Cricket Council, on account ofhim hailing from Pakistan, left them without the trophy they had won as well.

Though there were many who did not appreciate the approach of Indian cricketers, the general consensus was that this should be seen in the background of the Pahalgam massacre and Operation Sindoor and the facts that the wounds caused were still raw. But, in the case of Mustafizur Rahman, the sad fact is that the problems are essentially the creation of BCCI, which could have been avoided with some amount of tact and foresight.

BCCI should understand that it is their own image and standing that will take a beating if Bangladesh does not take part in the T20 World Cup. Leadership in international bodies should be used to increase a national body's prestige and influence, not to be painted as a bully.