Indian sports presenter Ridhima Pathak has addressed reports claiming she was removed from the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh. Pathak denied being dropped and said she voluntarily chose to step away from the league due to the prevailing political climate.
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The controversy emerged after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad. Shortly after, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced that its national team would not travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026, citing concerns over the overall circumstances.
BREAKING NEWS 🚨 Indian sports anchor Ridhima Pathak has opted out of the Bangladesh Premier League.
“Nation comes first for me” – SHE SAID pic.twitter.com/NlLTPnwo8S
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) January 7, 2026
Media outlets suggested Pathak had been ousted from the BPL, prompting the presenter to post a clarification on Instagram. “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,” she wrote. She emphasized that her loyalty to her nation came first and reaffirmed her commitment to cricket with integrity and respect.
Pathak’s statement came amid broader sporting and diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The Bangladesh government also recently imposed a nationwide ban on the telecast of the IPL and requested that its T20 World Cup 2026 matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
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The presenter concluded her post by thanking supporters and stressing that cricket deserves truth. “No further comments from my side,” she added, emphasizing her decision was personal and unrelated to political pressures.