The escalating political and diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh are now casting a long shadow over the world of cricket, with significant financial repercussions for Bangladesh's sports industry. A major casualty appears to be the sponsorship and commercial ties between Indian sports manufacturing giants and Bangladeshi cricketers.
Sponsorship Deals in Limbo Amidst Bilateral Strain
According to sources, Sanspareils Greenlands (SG), one of India's leading cricket equipment manufacturers, has placed the sponsorship contracts of key Bangladeshi players in a state of uncertainty. The contracts for national team captain Litton Das and batsman Mominul Haque were up for renewal, but the process has been deliberately slowed down due to the current climate.
This is not an isolated incident. Another prominent Indian company, Sareen Sports Industries (SS), reportedly cancelled the sponsorship deals of four to five top Bangladeshi cricketers last year when bilateral troubles began. Sources indicate that these decisions are directly linked to the political instability and the tense relations between the two neighboring nations.
Broader Economic Impact on Bangladesh's Sports Industry
The fallout extends far beyond individual player contracts. The source revealed that SG has stopped the distribution of its cricket equipment in the Bangladeshi market for the last six months. Furthermore, a crucial supply chain has been severed.
Previously, a significant amount of sports apparel was manufactured in factories within Bangladesh and then supplied to SG and other Indian sports equipment makers. This supply line has been dry for approximately a year, indicating a deeper economic disruption within the sports manufacturing ecosystem that connects the two countries.
Cricket at the Centre of the Diplomatic Spat
The current tensions flared up in the cricketing arena recently. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise to release Bangladeshi pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman from his IPL contract for the 2026 season. KKR had acquired him for a hefty sum of Rs 9.20 crore in the auction held in November.
In a strong retaliatory move, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) expressed serious concerns over the security situation in India. The BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) on two separate occasions to relocate Bangladesh's group matches in the 2026 T20 World Cup from India to Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh is placed in Group C of the tournament, with matches scheduled against the West Indies, Italy, and England in Kolkata on February 7, 9, and 14, respectively. Their final group game is against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17. The ICC is yet to make a decision on this request.
In essence, the diplomatic chill is translating into a tangible financial blow for Bangladesh's cricket industry. With Indian sponsors pulling back, distribution channels blocked, and manufacturing supply chains broken, the sports sector is facing a multi-pronged crisis. The situation may only see a reversal if and when the political relations between India and Bangladesh show signs of significant improvement.
