NEW DELHI: Indian sports presenter Ridhima Pathak broke her silence after reports in the Bangladeshi media claimed that she was dropped from the hosting panel of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Pathak clarified that the decision to leave the league midway was her own, stating that her country always comes first.

Taking to social media, she posted a detailed message, strongly criticising the false narrative being circulated and asserting that "cricket deserves truth."

"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.

"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."

Relations between India and Bangladesh hit an all-time low after the BCCI directed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, citing "developments all around" in reference to attacks on Hindus in the neighbouring country.

In response to the move, the Bangladesh government announced a nationwide ban on the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and called for their T20 World Cup matches to be relocated to Sri Lanka.

However, their demand was outrightly rejected by the ICC, which also warned that if Bangladesh do not travel to India, they risk forfeiting their points.