Mustafizur Rahman controversy: Bangladesh pacer leaves for national duty hours after joining Delhi Capitals

A massive controversy has broken out around Delhi Capitals (DC) and their new replacement player, Mustafizur Rahman, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as franchises struggle to regroup their overseas players ahead of the restart. The IPL 2025 will restart from 17 May after a forced break due to the India-Pakistan conflict. However, some of the overseas players including DC’s Jake-Fraser McGurk and Mitchell Starc are unwilling to return to India for the remainder of IPL 2025 as situation on the border remains tense.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tweaked the replacement player rules to help the team create a strong overseas players pool in case of withdrawals and under the same, DC signed Mustafizur Rahman on Wednesday as replacement for Jake-Fraser McGurk, who has decided to miss the remaining matches.

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However, hours after signing for Delhi Capitals , Mustafizur Rahman was forced to leave for the UAE to play for the Bangladesh national team as he was reportedly not provided with the No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

Mustafizur Rahman leaves DC hours after signing

Mustafizur Rahman confirmed his departure to UAE tour on social media as he posted a picture of him posing in the flight with the caption: “Heading to UAE to play against them. Keep me in your prayers.”

Heading to UAE to play against them. Keep me in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/dI7DHTfj73

— Mustafizur Rahman (@Mustafiz90) May 14, 2025

The BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury clarified to ESPNcricinfo that there was no communication by IPL over Mustafizur joining DC and that the fast bowler was already occupied with national duty.

“Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”

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Bangladesh are scheduled to play two T20Is in the UAE on 17 and 19 May, while DC restart their IPL 2025 campaign against Gujarat Titans (GT) on 18 May.

It’s not clear if ‘Fizz’ will return to IPL 2025 after the UAE assignment, as Bangladesh will also be involved in a five-match T20I series against Pakistan from 25 May.