‘Completely unintentional’: BCB clarifies toss incident in U19 WC India match

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has addressed the toss-related incident during Bangladesh’s opening ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 match against India in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Saturday.

In a press release, the BCB said the absence of a handshake between Bangladesh vice-captain Zawad Abrar and Indian captain Ayush Mhatre was “completely unintentional” and “resulted from a momentary lapse in concentration.” Zawad was standing in for regular captain Azizul Hakim Tamim, who was unable to attend the toss due to illness.

“The Board views the matter with due seriousness,” the statement read, adding that players had been reminded of their responsibility to uphold the spirit of cricket, demonstrate sportsmanship, and show respect to opponents at all times.

The BCB emphasised that there was “no intent whatsoever to show discourtesy or disregard towards the opposition,” and reaffirmed its commitment to cricketing values both on and off the field.

The toss had drawn attention as Bangladesh elected to field first, and initial reports highlighted the lack of the customary handshake. Observers linked the incident to broader tensions in South Asian cricket, including the recent high-profile venue dispute between Bangladesh and the ICC over the T20 World Cup matches in India.

Despite the brief drizzle that delayed the toss by around 15 minutes, the match began with minimal interruption, and Bangladesh played under challenging circumstances, having seen both warm-up games against Pakistan and Scotland end as no results due to rain.