KEY POINTS
- India and Bangladesh U19 captains avoided pre-match handshake
- Snub follows the BCCI-directed release of Mustafizur Rahman from IPL
- Bangladesh requested to shift T20 World Cup matches from India
- Bangladesh’s participation in upcoming T20 World Cup is now uncertain
BULAWAYO: Diplomatic and sporting tensions between India and Bangladesh were starkly visible at the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa on Saturday, when the teams’ captains pointedly avoided the customary pre-match handshake.
At the toss for their Group A clash, India’s captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh’s vice-captain, Zawad Abrar, refrained from the traditional greeting.
Abrar was standing in for the regular captain Md Azizul Hakim Tamim, who was ill.
Toss news 🗞️#TeamIndia will bat first in their second group game 🆚 Bangladesh!️#ICCMensU19WC | #INDvBAN 👉 LIVE NOW ➡️ https://t.co/DGP23ftABG pic.twitter.com/5hZ9PFHbFL
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 17, 2026
Gesture rooted in broader dispute
The on-field snub is the latest and most public manifestation of a rapidly deteriorating relationship between the two cricket boards.
The rift stems from two major, interconnected disputes that have erupted in recent weeks, casting a shadow over the upcoming senior ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The first flashpoint occurred earlier this month when the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), released Bangladeshi pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad.
The move came amid reported political tensions and calls within India for his removal. The decision was met with anger in Bangladesh.
BCB takes retaliatory measures
In response, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) took significant retaliatory steps.
It formally wrote to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting that Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup group matches, scheduled for Kolkata and Mumbai, be relocated to Sri Lanka, citing player security concerns.
Separately, the Bangladeshi government suspended the broadcast of the ongoing IPL within the country.
World Cup participation in doubt
With less than three weeks until the T20 World Cup begins, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over Bangladesh’s participation.
The BCB’s security request to the ICC remains unresolved, creating a major logistical and diplomatic headache for the global governing body.
The frosty exchange at the U19 level suggests the discord has permeated all levels of the sport between the two nations.
