SG puts sponsorship for top Bangladesh players in limbo amid strained India-Bangladesh ties
India's leading cricket equipment manufacturer SG has reportedly put the sponsorship of several top Bangladeshi cricketers in limbo amid the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
Amid strained political and cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh, India's leading cricket equipment manufacturer SG has reportedly put its sponsorship contracts for top Bangladesh cricketers on hold. The decision comes at a time when the bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries are at an all-time low following violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh began to deteriorate earlier this month after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad. The move came amid heavy outrage on social media over violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reacted strongly to BCCI's move and refused to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The BCB formally wrote to the ICC, requesting the international body to shift Bangladesh's matches away from India in the tournament, citing security concerns.
The Bangladesh government also imposed an indefinite ban on the telecast of the IPL in the country. According to a report in The Times of India, SG has decided to slow down the process of renewing its sponsorship contracts with several Bangladesh cricketers amid the increasing cricketing tensions between the two countries.
SG sponsors Bangladesh captain Litton Das and Mominul Haque, among others. "Their sponsorship contracts were coming up for renewal. That process has been slowed down' amidst the current heightened political and cricketing tensions between India and Bangladesh," a source tracking the development was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
According to The Times of India, Sareen Sports Industries (SS), another leading Indian cricket gear manufacturer, had also cancelled its sponsorship for some Bangladesh players after trouble began in the country last year.
The impact of the strained political ties between the two countries is not limited to sponsorship contracts of leading cricketers. SG has reportedly stopped the distribution of its cricketing equipment in Bangladesh for the last six months. The Indian brand has also stopped importing sports apparel manufactured in factories in Bangladesh.
BCB yet to hear back from ICC on request to shift matches out of India
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is yet to respond to BCB's request about shifting Bangladesh's matches away from India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. With less than a month left for the tournament to start, the ICC will have to rejig the entire schedule if Bangladesh don't play their matches in India in the tournament.
BCB director Aminul Islam Bulbul revealed on Saturday that the board is yet to hear back from the Jay Shah-led ICC on their request. However, he insisted BCB's stand remains firm and that the board won't send its team to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 next month. As per the current schedule, Bangladesh are scheduled to play all four of their group-stage matches in India.