 "Mustafizur Rahman's sudden release from IPL has turned into a big controversy in India and Bangladesh. Reuters")
Mustafizur Rahman’s release by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) has snowballed into a bigger controversy but the pacer does not have much to say on it. The left-arm pacer was released by KKR due to the unrest in Bangladesh after the franchise received instructions to do so by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The release has turned into a bigger controversy with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) set to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move its matches in the next month’s T20 World Cup outside India.
Mustafizur Rahman reacts to IPL snub
Mustafizur was bought for Rs 9.2 crore at the 2026 IPL auction that was held last month. KKR won a fierce bidding war against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings to sign the left-arm pacer who thus became the most expensive Bangladeshi player in the league.
However, demands to release him grew due to attacks on minorities in Bangladesh. The brutal lynching of a Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh further gave fuel to the demands and BCCI on Saturday finally gave in.
“If they release me, there’s nothing much I can do,” said Mustafizur while giving his first reaction to the snub to BDCrictime.
Bangladesh want T20 World Cup matches moved to Sri Lanka
Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi player sold at the auction and with his ouster, there will be no participation from Bangladesh cricketers in the league. The sudden release of their premier pacer has not gone down with Bangladesh who are taking the matter to ICC.
Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has said that the board will request ICC to move its T20 World Cup matches , scheduled to take place in Kolkata and Mumbai, to Sri Lanka. Bangladesh will also move to stop the broadcast of IPL matches in their country.
“The days of slavery are over,” declared Nazrul in a social media post reacting sharply to the release of the left-arm pacer.