The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) hasn’t taken Mustafizur Rahman’s release from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 well. Reports in Bangladesh had suggested that Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak was removed from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 in retaliation for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) releasing Mustafizur on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) directive.
Did BPL sack an Indian presenter?
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had reportedly instructed BPL to remove Ridhima from the presentation panel for the second half of the tournament. Working as a presenter for the 2025-26 International League T20 (ILT20), Ridhima was in Dubai until January 4, when Desert Vipers won their maiden trophy.
Ridhima was to join BPL soon after. She was expected to join the likes of Pakistani presenter Zainab Abbas and former cricketer-turned-commentators Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, and Darren Gough. However, Bangladeshi media reported that Ridhima had been removed from the BPL after the BCCI’s decision to release Mustafizur.
Turns out, that was false. Ridhima has issued a clarification, stating that she wasn’t removed but left the job herself. In the aftermath of brutality against the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, the relationships between the two nations have soured. Keeping that in mind, Ridhima chose not to travel to Bangladesh.
“In the last few hours, there’s been a narrative suggesting I was ‘dropped’ from the BPL. That is not true. I made a personal decision to opt out. For me, my nation comes first—always. And I value the game of cricket far beyond any single assignment. I’ve been privileged to serve this sport for years with honesty, respect, and passion. That won’t change. I’ll continue to stand for integrity, for clarity, and for the spirit of the game. Thank you to everyone who reached out with support. Your messages mean more than you know. Cricket deserves truth. Period. No further comments from my side,” Ridhima wrote on Instagram.
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