Mumbai: The recent Pahalgam terror attack has thrown the Asian cricket calendar into uncertainty, with India’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh in August now under serious doubt.
India were scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August for a white-ball series comprising of three ODIs and as many T20Is. However, diplomatic tensions and controversial remarks from a former Bangladeshi military officer have raised serious questions over the feasibility of the tour.
“The tour is part of the calendar, but nothing is final yet. There is a bright possibility of India not touring Bangladesh for the ODIs and T20Is because of the current situation,” a source told The Times of India.
Tensions escalated after Maj Gen (Retd) A L M Fazlur Rahman, a former officer close to Bangladesh’s interim government, sparked outrage with a provocative Facebook post. He suggested that Bangladesh, with China’s support, should occupy India’s Northeastern states if it retaliates against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack.
“If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of North-East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint-military system with China,” Maj Gen (retired) ALM Fazlur Rahman said in a Facebook post.
India’s stance on bilateral cricket with Pakistan remains unchanged. In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla reiterated that India will not play a bilateral series with Pakistan, now or in the future.
“We are with the victims, and we condemn it. Whatever our government says, we will do. We don’t play with Pakistan in a bilateral series because of the government’s stand. And we will not play with Pakistan in bilaterals going forward. But when it comes to the ICC event, we play due to ICC engagement. ICC is also aware that whatever is happening, they will do it,” Shukla said.
“If India attacks Pakistan, Bangladesh should occupy the seven states of North-East India. In this regard, I think it is necessary to start a discussion on a joint-military system with China,” Maj Gen (retired) ALM Fazlur Rahman said in a Facebook post.
India’s stance on bilateral cricket with Pakistan remains unchanged. In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla reiterated that India will not play bilateral series with Pakistan, now or in the future.
“We are with the victims, and we condemn it. Whatever our government says, we will do. We don’t play with Pakistan in a bilateral series because of the government’s stand. And we will not play with Pakistan in bilaterals going forward. But when it comes to the ICC event, we play due to ICC engagement. ICC is also aware that whatever is happening, they will do it,” Shukla said.
he ripple effects could extend to the 2025 Asia Cup, tentatively scheduled for September, with India unlikely to participate if Pakistan is involved. A similar situation had unfolded during the 2025 Champions Trophy, where India refused to travel to Pakistan. All their matches, including the final, were played in Dubai.
