The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has released its packed international calendar for 2026, confirming that Bangladesh will tour India for a limited-overs series later that year.
The itinerary includes
three ODIs and three T20Is, scheduled between August and September 2026, effectively replacing the identical series that was meant to take place in 2025 but was postponed indefinitely.
The earlier tour was officially deferred due to "scheduling convenience and international commitments," but reports at the time suggested that the BCCI had serious concerns over the security situation in Bangladesh following political unrest and the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
The uncertainty also impacted women's cricket, with a planned India women's tour of Bangladesh in December being quietly shelved and replaced by a five-match series against Sri Lanka, which India won 5-0 under Harmanpreet Kaur.
Against this backdrop, the announcement of Bangladesh's cricketing engagements in India comes at a sensitive moment. In recent weeks, there has been visible anti-Bangladesh sentiment in certain quarters, particularly after Kolkata Knight Riders picked Mustafizur Rahman for the IPL 2026 season. Some groups have called for boycotts and staged protests, citing reports of violence against minority Hindu communities in Bangladesh. Despite the backlash, there is no precedent of an IPL franchise dropping a player under such circumstances, and the BCCI has so far stayed silent on the issue.
As per the BCB's schedule, the Indian men's team will land in Bangladesh on August 28, 2026. The ODI series is slated for September 1, 3 and 6, followed by T20Is on September 9, 12 and 13. The calendar also features bilateral series against Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies across formats.
Adding another layer to the discussion is the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka in February. Bangladesh are set to play their matches in India at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Naturally, questions around security have surfaced. However, both venues have a strong track record. Eden Gardens successfully hosted Pakistan during the 2023 ODI World Cup, an event that demanded the highest level of security planning. Kolkata Police, in particular, have consistently delivered during high-profile sporting occasions. While isolated organisational failure in non-cricketing events like the Leo Messi one have raised concerns, international cricket matches typically receive heightened security protocols.
For now, all eyes will be on how authorities prepare once the tournament approaches. Until then, the focus remains on cricket returning to the field amid a complex political and social backdrop.
