Controversy in BPL 2025-26! Indian presenter Ridhima Pathak breaks silence on quitting Bangladesh Premier League

Ridhima Pathak was going to be part of the presentation panel in BPL 2025-26.

Indian sports anchor Ridhima Pathak has broken the silence on rumours that she was dropped from the presentation panel of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL 2025-26).

Denying such reports, she explained that she had withdrawn from the franchise T20 tournament due to the ongoing political issues between the two countries.

Recently, an Indian businessman was killed by a mob in Bangladesh. After the horrible incident, many cricket fans slammed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise for inducting Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman into their squad amid the ongoing violence against Indian communities in the neighbouring country.

KKR bought Rahman for INR 9.20 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) auction last month. Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed KKR to release Rahman from their squad to respect the sentiments of Indian cricket fans.

However, the move did not go well with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as they banned the telecast and promotion of IPL 2026 in their country.

Moreover, some reports in the Bangladesh local media suggested that Ridhima Pathak was removed as a presenter in BPL 2025-26. She was going to join the league for the Dhaka leg.

I made a…- Ridhima Pathak on quitting BPL 2025-26

Taking to the social media platform Instagram, Pathak refuted rumours that she was removed as a presenter in BPL 2025-26 and revealed that she herself opted out of the tournament amid the ongoing tense situation between India and Bangladesh. The 35-year-old also added that she prioritises her nation over anything else.

“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. For me, my nation comes first – always. And I value the game of cricket far beyond any single assignment,” she wrote on Instagram.

“I’ve been privileged to serve this sport for years with honesty, respect, and passion. That won’t change. I’ll continue to stand for integrity, for clarity, and for the spirit of the game. Thank you to everyone who reached out with support. Your messages mean more than you know,” she added.

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A post shared by Ridhima Pathak (@ridhimapathak)

Ridhima was part of the presentation panel alongside Pakistani presenter Zainab Abbas. While the latter has arrived in Bangladesh, Ridhma won’t be travelling. Veteran commentators like Waqar Younis, Ramiz Raja, and Darren Gough are also going to join the league.

Meanwhile, BPL 2025-26 commenced on December 26 last month and witnessed a clash between six teams for the title. The tournament is currently witnessing games in Sylhet, with the Dhaka leg scheduled to begin on January 15.

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