The T20 World Cup is set to kick off on Saturday afternoon, with two teams mounting protests against co-host nation India.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh this month after a dispute over players’ safety.
Pakistan has since confirmed it will boycott its match against India in protest.
Here’s what to know.
Context
Bangladesh qualified for the World Cup in 2024. The tournament is being hosted across India and Sri Lanka.
Prior to the tournament kicking off, Bangladesh asked for all of its matches to be played in Sri Lanka, saying team leadership could not guarantee players’ safety.
It comes after the removal of Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from Indian Premier League team the Kolkata Knight Riders, amid rising political and religious tensions between India and Bangladesh.
Late last year, a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh was fatally beaten and set on fire after allegedly criticising the Prophet Muhammad, sparking protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in India.
Another issue between the two nations is related to former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who lives in exile in India.
Hasina fled Bangladesh after her Government violently cracked down on mass student protests against a public service job system in 2024.
Prosecutors have since tried Hasina in absentia, arguing the crackdown killed 1,400 protesters.
Hasina has been sentenced to death, but the sentence will only be carried out if she returns to Bangladesh from India.
Indian cricket officials cited “recent developments,” widely perceived as referring to tensions between the two countries, in releasing Rahman from his contract in early January.
So, where does Pakistan fit into all of this?
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Pakistan
Tensions between Pakistan and India are longstanding, particularly centering on the border region of Kashmir.
When Britain relinquished control of the Indian peninsula in 1947, it split the region into two countries — India and Pakistan.
Both then fought for control of Kashmir. After the UN intervened, the area was officially split into Pakistani control in the north and Indian control in the south.
More conflicts have followed, driven by religious tensions between the Muslim majority in Pakistan and the Hindu majority in India.
Last year, gunmen opened fire on a town in Kashmir called Pahalgam, killing 26 people.
An Islamist group took credit for the attack, with survivors saying they were asked if they were Hindu.
Disputes over the killings developed into a short violent conflict between India and Pakistan, ending with a ceasefire deal overseen by the U.S.
T20 World Cup
Bangladesh has argued the removal of Rahman from his team shows its players would not be safe in India, asking for its matches to be moved to Sri Lanka.
The ICC rejected Bangladesh’s request, saying there were no “credible” threats to the team.
When Bangladesh did not confirm if its team would still travel to India, the ICC replaced them with Scotland, the next best ranked side.
After Bangladesh’s removal, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said: “You can’t say for one country they can do whatever they want and for the others to have to do the complete opposite. That’s why we’ve taken this stand”.
Pakistan is set to play all its group stage matches in Sri Lanka.
The ICC says its tournaments “are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.”
