Indian sports broadcaster Ridhima Pathak has addressed the recent reports regarding her alleged removal from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). She clarified that it was her personal decision to opt out of the league and labeled the narrative suggesting she was “dropped” as false.
“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,” Ridhima stated on her social media.
“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,” she added.
This clarification comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Bangladesh. Recently, the Bangladesh government ordered the suspension of the broadcast of all matches of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season following the controversy involving Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman.
The decision was made after Rahman was released from the IPL following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which sparked significant debate and criticism in Bangladesh.
In response to Rahman’s release, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) convened an emergency board meeting and has reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to seek the relocation of Bangladesh’s matches in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from India, citing safety and security concerns.
India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with matches scheduled across various venues in both countries.