The uncertainty surrounding the T20 World Cup schedule has revealed how closely cricket in the subcontinent is entangled with politics and diplomacy. This time it is Bangladesh that is playing truant by insisting not to play in India and asking the venue be shifted to Sri Lanka instead. The present crisis started when KKR owner Shahrukh Khan was forced to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its squad in view of anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. Yielding to Bangladesh by shifting matches to Sri Lanka may defuse immediate tensions. But it sets a precedent that tournament plans can be overridden by political discomfort. Refusal, on the other hand, could invite withdrawal threats and damage the tournament’s integrity. The T20 World Cup will be a successful sporting event even without Bangladesh. However, it should be done without letting politics come in the way. Cricket, once revered as a gentleman’s game, has historically functioned as a rare bridge in South Asia where formal diplomacy often failed. That tradition has been steadily dismantled. What remains is a weaponised version of sport, deployed to signal ideological loyalty rather than sporting excellence.
