Bangladesh Cricket Board president Tamim Iqbal is hopeful that India’s limited-overs tour can still take place. India are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Bangladesh in August and September. Political tensions between the two countries have put the series in doubt.
Tamim said the series has not been officially called off. He added that the BCB and the BCCI are discussing possible dates for the matches. Both boards are looking for a suitable window in their busy schedules.
“That it (India series) won’t happen hasn’t been decided yet,” Tamim was quoted as saying by sports platform Not Out Noman on Sunday. He said the BCB is positive about the talks with the BCCI. Bangladesh have three series during the period, while India also have a packed schedule. Tamim said regular communication is taking place between the two boards.
“There are certain things that are beyond our control. I never want to cross that line as BCB president. But the intentions are good and we are continuously communicating,” Tamim said.
More BPL Names Could Be Revealed
Tamim also said the BCB is preparing to announce four or five more names linked to corruption-related issues in the Bangladesh Premier League. The board has already named four or five people in an earlier press release. “There is an issue with integrity. The lawyer is handling it now. When we get the green signal from the lawyer, we will reveal it through a press release,” he said.
Tamim Regrets T20 World Cup Decision
The BCB president also spoke about Bangladesh’s decision to withdraw from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He believes the situation could have been handled better through negotiations.
Bangladesh pulled out after Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders shortly before the 2026 IPL season. The decision was linked to security concerns.
“I feel that we could have negotiated the thing much better,” Tamim said.
Tamim said Mustafizur’s situation had upset people across Bangladesh. He also felt the country should have played in the World Cup after qualifying for the tournament. “I feel we probably could have dealt with it better. We went to a point of no return right from the beginning.”
Sports Should Stay Separate
Tamim also said sports should be kept away from political issues where possible. He pointed to Iran playing in the United States during the ongoing war between the two countries.
“I feel that in some cases, sports should remain as sports,” he said. Tamim said he cannot reveal everything that was discussed during the World Cup negotiations because of his role as an ICC member. He said some details could surprise the public.
“You would be surprised at what things were said, but let’s not go into that discussion.” After learning more about the negotiations, Tamim said he now feels Bangladesh could have taken a more careful approach.
“Now, when I hear that certain conversations took place and certain things happened, after analysing everything, what I feel is that we could have dealt with this more carefully and more smartly.”
Tamim ended by repeating his belief that Bangladesh should have played the 2026 T20 World Cup. He said better negotiations could have helped avoid the decision to withdraw from the tournament.
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