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Decision to remove Mustafizur Rahman from IPL taken at top level, not all BCCI members consulted: Report
KKR released Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for IPL 02026 following the directive issued by the BCCI. The franchise will be allowed a replacement player.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not hold a meeting, and no discussion was held among all the members regarding the decision to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL). On January 3, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia spoke to the media, confirming that the board ordered the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release the 30-year-old left-arm pacer from their squad despite picking him for INR 9.20 crore in the mini auction in Abu Dhabi.
The last few days have witnessed incidents of multiple Hindus being killed in Bangladesh, and this has led to public outrage in India against the neighbouring country. Following days of backlash directed at KKR and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, the BCCI finally ordered the franchise to release the player.
However, according to a report in The Indian Express, not all members of the BCCI and the IPL governing council were consulted in the decision to ask KKR to release Rahman. The decision to release Rahman was taken at the highest level of the board.
Also Read: Mustafizur Rahman IPL row sounds death knell for India-Bangladesh cricket ties; bilaterals await same fate as Pakistan
“We ourselves got to know about this through the media. There was no discussion. No suggestion was taken from our side," the Indian Express quoted a BCCI official as saying.
It is worth mentioning that KKR acquired Rahman after a fierce bidding war with the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals.
Earlier, while explaining the board's decision to release Rahman, Devajit Saikia told news agency PTI, "Due to the recent developments that are going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad.”
Relations between India and Bangladesh hit a new low
Following the BCCI's decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also took action, writing to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and requesting that the apex body relocate its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka.
The Bangladesh government ordered the indefinite suspension of the broadcast and telecast of the IPL in the country on Monday. “Due to this, a request is made as per instructions to stop the broadcast/ telecast of all matches and programmes of the Indian Premier League,” the Bangladesh government said in a statement.
Asif Nazrul, the interim government’s advisor for Youth and Sports in Bangladesh, also stepped in and said that the interim government in Bangladesh would accept the insult of any Bangladesh cricketer:
“We won’t stand for any insult to Bangladesh’s cricket, cricketers and the country. The days of slavery are over," he wrote on Facebook.
India was scheduled to tour Bangladesh for three ODIs and as many T20Is in September 2026, but the fate of the series currently hangs in the balance as the BCCI awaits government approval.
