BCCI pulls plug on India-Bangladesh women’s series scheduled for December
India’s home season in women’s cricket was set to begin with a six-match white-ball series against Bangladesh in December — three ODIs and three T20Is forming part of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme. But the tour has now been officially postponed, further highlighting the growing chill in diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka.
While neither cricket board has publicly cited a reason for the postponement, a BCB spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the board received a letter from the BCCI stating the series would be rescheduled to a later date. The decision removes what would have been India’s only international engagement between their triumphant 2025 ODI World Cup campaign and the start of the Women’s Premier League in January.
Planned for Kolkata and Cuttack, the series was also set to launch a new cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship.
Political tensions cast shadow over bilateral cricket
Behind the scenes, regional geopolitics may be influencing cricketing calendars. Strained relations between India and Bangladesh have become increasingly visible in recent months, driven by a number of contentious developments — including Dhaka’s demand for the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India, and India’s new trade restrictions.
On Monday, a tribunal court in Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death, escalating tensions further. In this context, a BCCI official told Hindustan Times, “The series hasn’t received the clearance.”
That lack of clearance mirrors what happened with the men’s bilateral white-ball series earlier this year.
Men’s August series postponed, now rescheduled for 2026
The Indian men’s team was also scheduled to tour Bangladesh in August 2025 for white-ball matches following the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. That series, too, was pushed back indefinitely — and at the time, CNN-News18 reported that diplomatic tensions were the underlying cause, though the official statement made no mention of politics.
Instead, the boards framed the decision as a matter of scheduling. “This decision has been reached following discussions between the two Boards, taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” the BCCI said in a formal statement.
The statement also offered a revised timeline for the series: “The BCB looks forward to welcoming India in September 2026 for this eagerly anticipated series. Revised dates and fixtures for the tour will be announced in due course.”
BCCI eyes alternatives for women’s home series
With the December window now open, the BCCI is reportedly exploring options to stage a brief home series against a different opponent before the Women’s Premier League. The intention is to ensure continuity in women’s cricket following India’s World Cup success and ahead of their Australia tour in early 2026.
The postponement of two consecutive bilateral series — both men’s and women’s — between India and Bangladesh underscores how off-field political turbulence is increasingly shaping on-field scheduling. Whether cricket can once again bridge the gap between these two neighbours remains to be seen.
