India had hoped that next month’s T20 World Cup would strengthen its reputation as a premier global sports host and bolster its long-term Olympic ambitions.
However, preparations have been thrown into turmoil by a diplomatic dispute with Bangladesh and allegations of political interference.
With less than two weeks before the tournament, Bangladesh has effectively pulled out after the International Cricket Council (ICC) denied their request to move matches from India to co-host Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.
“Our only demand is to play the World Cup but not in India,” Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam Bulbul said, warning that without a change in venue, the team would not participate.
India is also gearing up to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, a milestone many see as a stepping stone toward bidding for the 2036 Olympics.
Yet the chaotic lead-up to the T20 World Cup, especially the potential exclusion of a major cricket-loving nation, threatens to cast a shadow over those ambitions - particularly with cricket set to return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028.
The T20 World Cup schedule was delayed and only released in December, and now organizers may need to draft Scotland to replace Bangladesh just days before the opening match on February 7. Bulbul warned that excluding a country of nearly 200 million cricket fans would not only deprive the tournament of a massive audience but also damage the ICC’s credibility ahead of the sport’s Olympic reintroduction.
The ICC has stated that it found “no credible or verifiable threat” to hold Bangladesh’s matches in India and remains committed to “safeguarding the collective interests of the global game.”
Yet in practice, the global game is dominated by India, where cricket is deeply intertwined with culture, politics, and the economy. South Asia accounts for roughly 90 percent of cricket’s billion-plus fans, with India generating about three-quarters of the sport’s global revenue.
Analysts argue that India’s cricketing supremacy, powered by the BCCI’s enormous revenue, gives it unprecedented influence over international cricket decisions.
“There is no one to challenge India’s hegemony,” wrote sports journalist Pradeep Magazine. ICC chairman Jay Shah, son of India’s interior minister Amit Shah and a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, further underlines the close ties between cricket administration and political power.
The current standoff has been fueled by political tensions between India and Bangladesh since a mass uprising in Dhaka in 2024 ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is now a convicted fugitive hosted by New Delhi.
Matters escalated when India’s IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, under BCCI orders, dropped Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman following outrage among right-wing Indian groups, prompting fury in Dhaka.
Bangladesh argues that if the ICC truly wants to function as a global organization, it must allow their team to play matches in Sri Lanka, citing precedent in 2025 when Pakistan’s games were moved to Dubai after India refused to travel to Islamabad. “No one should have a monopoly over cricket,” said Bangladesh’s interim government sports adviser Asif Nazrul.
Indian sports journalist Sharda Ugra described the situation as a political issue: “The Bangladesh issue has reached this point because cricket has been completely captured by politics. The BCCI and the ICC are effectively the same entity at the moment.”
For India, the fallout from Bangladesh’s refusal could have implications beyond cricket. With the nation seeking to showcase its organizational capabilities ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and a future Olympic bid, the controversy underscores how political disputes and cricketing boycotts can jeopardize the country’s image as a reliable global sports host.
