Ridhima Pathak clarified that she was not dropped from her BPL 2025–26 hosting role and chose to step away on her own, saying the decision was personal and driven by her principles.
Ridhima Pathak has addressed reports suggesting she was removed from her hosting role in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League(BPL) 2025–26. In a statement shared on Instagram on January 7, Pathak clarified that she was not dropped and chose to step away on her own. She said the decision was personal and guided by her priorities, stressing that national interest came first for her.
Pathak added that she continues to value cricket deeply and remains committed to professionalism, clarity, and integrity in her work. She thanked supporters who reached out and said she would not comment further on the matter.
“Truth matters. 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. 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,” she wrote.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out with support. Your messages mean more than you know. Cricket deserves truth. Period. No further comments from my side,” Ridhima Pathak added.
Her clarification followed reports from Bangladeshi media claiming that the BCB had removed her from the BPL hosting panel. Pathak has previously hosted major cricket events for Star Sports and Sony Sports in India and was co-hosting the BPL alongside Pakistan presenter Zainab Abbas before opting out.
ICC Rules Out Venue Change
In other news, the International Cricket Council has reportedly turned down the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s request to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo on January 6, the decision was communicated during a virtual meeting earlier this week. The ICC cited security assessments while rejecting the proposal.
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