KKR drop Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman on BCCI direction

KOLKATA: In the first such move, an IPL franchise has released a player due to ‘non-cricketing’ reasons. Kolkata Knight Riders issued a statement Saturday that they have released Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad for the 2026 edition after BCCI “instructed” them to do so.“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,” BCCI secretary Devaji Saikia was quoted as saying by news agencies. Within a few hours, the three-time IPL champions confirmed that “the release has been carried out following due process and consultations…” In the wake of recent unrest in Bangladesh, both KKR and their co-owner, Shah Rukh Khan, had come under attack from several politicians and social media users.Bangladesh players now seem to suffer the same fate as Pakistani cricketers, who have been kept out of IPL since 2009. Saikia also said “that if they (KKR) ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow them”.Left-arm pacer Rahman, also called ‘Fizz’, was the only one to have been picked from among the seven Bangladeshi players who were listed in the 2025 mini-auction last month. KKR had picked Rahman for Rs 9.2 cr, much above his base price of Rs 2 cr, after an intense bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.The 30-year-old pacer also received a no-objection certificate by BCB to miss the home series against New Zealand and be available for IPL.Although a franchise’s purse is ‘locked’ once a player is purchased, Rahman’s case comes under ‘force majeure’ — an extraordinary event that is beyond the control of contractual parties and hence KKR are likely to receive a full credit.Rahman has played a total of 60 IPL matches from 2016 so far for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, DC and Chennai Super Kings in the past, picking up 65 wickets.Several top players from Bangladesh like Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza and Liton Das have previously played for KKR.