IPL unlikely to see any major impact due to Bangladesh broadcast ban

Experts say there will be no revenue loss due to the ban, and it will not have any impact on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) revenue from the IPL

Mustafizur Rahman was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2026 mini-auction recently — The move by the Bangladesh government comes two days after the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mustafizur Rahman from the team.

2 min read Last Updated : Jan 06 2026 | 12:25 AM IST

The Indian Premier League (IPL) broadcast has been banned in Bangladesh, but experts say the move is unlikely to affect the series.

According to experts, the ban will not result in revenue loss for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the IPL broadcasters.

The Bangladesh government’s decision comes two days after the BCCI instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman. This followed the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to the International Cricket Council to shift Twenty20 (T20) World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing that it would not send its team to India for the tournament scheduled to begin on February 7.

“I don’t see this move — banning IPL broadcasts in Bangladesh — having a big impact. It doesn’t affect BCCI’s revenue, nor does it change what the broadcaster would pay,” said Santosh N, managing partner at D&P Advisory Services, a valuation services provider, to Business Standard. He added that viewership will likely remain largely unaffected, as only two to three Bangladeshi players have been active in the IPL in previous seasons.

N Chandramouli, chief executive officer of TRA Research, shared a similar view, saying that while Bangladesh has a noteworthy cricket team, the broadcaster’s revenue is unlikely to be affected. “Any revenue loss will likely be offset by other brands stepping in. The IPL continues to grow, and existing sponsors may increase their advertising in the upcoming season,” he said.

The IPL is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 31.

“It is unfortunate that politics is affecting cricket, but that is the reality. IPL’s big strength has always been its global roster of top players. Now, players of stature are being excluded for reasons beyond talent, which will affect both the game and viewer interest. The fear is that one day it could become a Ranji T20, with only Indians playing against Indians,” said Sandeep Goyal, chairman of Rediffusion.