The decision came shortly after Bangladesh suspended the telecast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) within its territory during the ongoing T20 World Cup period.

According to Indian news agency ANI, Ridhima Pathak was scheduled to host the BPL this season, but she was dropped from the presentation panel before she could travel to Bangladesh.

She has been replaced by Pakistan’s Zainab Abbas, who has already arrived in the country and joined the broadcast team.

The commentary panel also features well-known Pakistani voices Waqar Younis and Ramiz Raja, alongside former England pacer Darren Gough, giving the tournament a distinctly international flavor.

Earlier, on January 5, the Bangladesh government suspended the broadcast of IPL 2026 matches. This move followed a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), asking them to release Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. The decision sparked frustration among Bangladeshi cricket officials.

In response, Bangladesh formally wrote to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting that its T20 World Cup matches be moved out of India. Soon after, the ban on IPL telecasts was enforced.

The developments highlight how cricket, often called a bridge between nations, can also reflect deeper disagreements. What happens off the field, it seems, can sometimes make as much noise as the game itself.