Former India cricketer turned politician Manoj Tiwari has given a very strong and emotional opinion at a time when there is confusion over whether Bangladesh will travel to India for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 or not. His message was clear and simple, but deeper than just sports.
Manoj Tiwari draws a red line on sports amid rising tension in India-Bangladesh
Tiwari said the game should not continue when there are serious humanitarian issues between the two countries. He told that this has always been his stand and reminded everyone that he had said the same thing earlier also on India-Pakistan matches.
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He stressed that whenever an Indian is brutally murdered in any country, it should not be considered a normal matter, as it is not about teams or tournaments, but about respect for human life. Cricket pundits believe that in such a situation, India should stop all sporting relations with that country, be it Bangladesh, England, Australia or any other country.
ANI quoted Manoj Tiwari as saying, “When the Pahalgam terrorist attack happened, I had said that India should not play against Pakistan. Even though the government had allowed it, my opinion was and still is that such matches should not be held. If any Indian is brutally killed in any country, be it Bangladesh, England, Australia or anywhere else, then India should not have sporting relations with that country.”
India should not face Bangladesh at any cost
He also pointed out that this issue goes far beyond cricket or any sport. The Sports and Youth Minister of Bengal said that sports and such matters are often kept separate, but he believes that allowing matches in such a situation sends the wrong message.
As always, the matches will go ahead, but the former Indian batsman does not want the Men in Blue to play Bangladesh in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 under any circumstances. His comments add fuel to the fire, as there have already been reports of attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Tiwari said, “Sports should not be associated with such serious matters, but these matches will still be held as the games against Pakistan were allowed earlier. Even now, they will go ahead, but my personal opinion is very clear: they should not be played.”
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ICC rejects claims of Bangladesh sports advisor
Earlier, Bangladesh youth and sports advisor Asif Nazrul had claimed that the International Cricket Council has declared that it will not be safe for the Tigers to travel to India for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 due to security reasons. However, ICC sources later clarified the situation.
It was reported that an independent security assessment conducted by internationally recognized experts found no threat to Bangladesh in playing its scheduled ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group matches in India.
The report said the overall security risk for the tournament in India is low to moderate, which is considered normal for major global sporting events.
