Chandigarh, JAN 3: Kolkata Knight Riders have been instructed by the BCCI to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the next Indian Premier League season, a move linked to strained ties between New Delhi and Dhaka.
The board said the franchise would be free to sign a replacement player.
“The BCCI has asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from its squad,” secretary Devajit Saikia said. “They can ask for a replacement if required, and the BCCI will allow it.”
Rahman was signed by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore at last month’s auction after an aggressive bidding war, significantly above his base price of Rs 2 crore. The left-arm pacer was set to play his first IPL season for KKR.
Pressure had been building on cricket authorities over Rahman’s participation following political criticism linked to developments in Bangladesh, including concerns raised by India about attacks on minorities.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan, one of KKR’s owners, also came under criticism from political figures who questioned the signing of a Bangladeshi player amid allegations of violence against Hindus in the neighboring country.
Rahman is a familiar figure in the IPL, having appeared in eight editions since 2016. Over the years, he has represented five franchises, including Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings.
The player’s removal comes as cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh remain uncertain. A scheduled bilateral white-ball series was postponed last year, and while the Bangladesh Cricket Board has proposed September for the tour, the BCCI has yet to commit.
Relations between the two nations worsened after former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following anti-government protests in August last year. She was later sentenced to death in absentia for her alleged role in a crackdown that left several students dead.
Since then, diplomatic engagement has been tense, marked by repeated summons of envoys and a shift in Dhaka’s foreign policy under the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, including renewed outreach to Pakistan.
