When boards drift apart, cricket carries the scars

At a time when all the talk should be around the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as it draws near, the build‑up is overshadowed by a rift between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Mustafizur Rahman’s release from Kolkata Knight Riders following the BCCI's instruction has become a larger talking point than squad announcements or World Cup preparations for all 20 participants. The situation escalated further when the BCB expressed reluctance to play their World Cup matches in India, citing security concerns.

Therefore, what should have been a period of excitement and anticipation has instead turned into a moment of tension, with relations between the two boards at their lowest point in years.

When BCCI and BCB moved in harmony and not discord

The ongoing standoff is in striking contrast to the relationship between the two governing bodies, which for decades was underlined by support and goodwill.

The BCCI played a pivotal role in helping Bangladesh cricket make a significant leap forward. While Bangladesh's memorable ODI World Cup campaign in 1999 made a case for them to earn Test status, where they defeated Scotland (by 22 runs) and then stunned Pakistan (by 62 runs), the eventual runner-up, it would not have come to fruition as early as it did (2000) if the then BCCI President and ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya hadn't championed the cause.

Notably, as a mark of unwavering support, India were the first-ever side to play a Test against Bangladesh when the BCCI sent the team to Dhaka, under Sourav Ganguly's leadership, in November 2000 for a solitary game.

Fast forward to September 2008, Bangladesh cricket was in doldrums after imposing a 10-year ban on 13 of its top cricketers for joining the Indian Cricket League (ICL). BCB expected the BCCI to add more Bangladesh cricketers at the IPL auction (2009) to provide them with ample opportunities to shine and make a name for themselves in such a global spectacle.

The then IPL chairman Lalit Modi promised to help revive Bangladesh cricket by adding more of their players to the auction and walked the talk. While only three Bangladesh players (Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Mortaza, and Abdur Razzak) were registered for the 2008 IPL auction, the number rose to 15 in 2009, allowing a generation of Bangladesh cricketers to gain exposure to the lucrative T20 league.

While cricket administrators worked to strengthen ties, political leaders in both countries also played a role in reinforcing the relationship between the two nations.

In November 2019, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina travelled to Kolkata to inaugurate India’s first day‑night Test at Eden Gardens, a moment that reflected the warmth between the two countries.

Earlier in June 2015, during a visit to Dhaka, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Bangladesh’s cricketing rise, calling their performances impressive and highlighting the energy that it represented: the exuberance of the country’s youth.

For years, the relationship between the two boards was defined by collaboration, not confrontation, and that makes the present discord all the more striking.

When harmony breaks, cricket cracks, and the fans feel every fracture

The fallout from the Mustafizur episode has gone far beyond what a fan would have imagined. Bangladesh's decision to ban the broadcast of the IPL and the BCB's request to the ICC to shift their T20 World Cup matches out of India have added layers of complexity to an already sensitive situation.

Fans find themselves sandwiched between the worsening ties between the two boards. Supporters who follow both teams and the IPL now face uncertainty, restricted access, and a narrative dominated by boardroom disputes rather than cricket.

The World Cup build‑up, usually a time for analysis and excitement, has instead been overshadowed by statements, counter‑statements, and speculation.

The BCCI and BCB may cling to their positions, but in the shadows between them, the heartbeat of the sport grows faint. In this clash of boards, it is cricket that bends, and the fans who break.