The BPL has been embroiled in a new scandal after Indian TV presenter Ridhima Pathak’s withdrawal from the season’s broadcast lineup. The actress was supposed to be part of the tournament in Dhaka but is not going to Bangladesh anymore.
Pathak was anticipated to be a player during the tournament’s Dhaka phase. Yet, she did not go to Bangladesh, which led to the rumors of her being pulled from the lineup.
Was Ridhima Pathak knocked out of BPL’s line-up?
Some media reports linked her staying away from the games with the increasing cricket-related tensions between India and Bangladesh, and this made a good deal of discussion in the cricket world.
This season, the BPL had attracted attention by getting two famous female presenters from neighboring countries in Pakistan’s Zainab Abbas and India’s Ridhima Pathak. While Abbas was present during the Sylhet leg of the tournament, Pathak was to come later in Dhaka and take over the hosting duties.
Nonetheless, rumors of Pathak’s absence were put to rest on Wednesday when the presenter took to Instagram to share her statement. In her post, Pathak made it clear that she was not removed from the assignment and that her withdrawal was a personal one thus, putting an end to rumors about her non-participation.
The pursuit of controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman has widened the cricket row between India and Bangladesh. The fast bowler, Rahman, went through a rough patch in his career as he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL auction but was soon released as the BCCI asked the franchise to do so. This left the Bangladesh cricket board unhappy.
The BCB seems to have responded with firmness by announcing to the ICC that Bangladesh’s national team would not visit India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Moreover, the BCB has requested neutral venues for Bangladesh’s matches.
The current developments make it clear that once again the political and administrative tensions are the main factors in determining the cricketing relationships in the region, and their impact is being felt both on and off the field. The dispute is considered by many as the tip of the iceberg, with the risk of Asian cricket collaboration being the major casualty among the implications.
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