Tensions between India and Bangladesh surfaced publicly during their Under-19 World Cup 2026 Group A match when the two teams’ captains skipped the customary handshake at the toss.
India skipper Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh vice-captain Zawad Abrar did not greet each other ahead of the match on Jan. 17. Abrar was leading the side in place of Bangladesh captain Md Azizul Hakim Tamim, who was unavailable due to illness.
The moment came amid growing strain between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), driven largely by developments linked to the Indian Premier League and the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Earlier this month, Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad following a directive from the BCCI. The move followed calls in India to drop the left-arm pacer amid reports of attacks on minority communities in Bangladesh, sparking backlash from Bangladeshi cricket officials and fans.
In response, the BCB wrote to the International Cricket Council, urging it to consider shifting Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches out of India to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns. Separately, the Bangladesh government has suspended IPL broadcasts within the country.
With less than three weeks to go before the T20 World Cup begins, uncertainty remains over Bangladesh’s participation. The team is currently scheduled to play its group-stage matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, though calls for changes continue to grow.