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BCCI infighting out in the open, Mustafizur Rahman's exit widens cracks

Akshita Patel

BCCI officials speaks up on Mustafizur Rahman IPL controversy [Source: @WisdenCricket, @ANI/X.com]BCCI officials speaks up on Mustafizur Rahman IPL controversy [Source: @WisdenCricket, @ANI/X.com]

In an unprecedented move, the BCCI called for the ouster of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the KKR squad overnight. However, it has now come to light that even board members and officials were kept in the dark about this development.

Mustafizur Rahman was bought by KKR for ₹9.2 crore at the auction, and his return to the IPL was seen as a big boost for the franchise. 

However, just days later, the BCCI directed KKR to release him from their squad owing to political tensions with Bangladesh.

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According to the Indian Express, this decision came directly from the top leadership of the BCCI. Even members of the IPL Governing Council were reportedly not consulted. 

A senior BCCI official reportedly said that the board itself was surprised and had no role in the discussions. 

“We ourselves got to know about this through the media. There was no discussion. No suggestion was taken from our side," a BCCI official told Indian Express.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia later confirmed that the move was taken “in light of recent developments,” without giving detailed reasons.

Not only that, Saikia announced that KKR will be allowed to seek a replacement if and when they wish. This is significant, as, without consulting the IPL council over the move, the secretary went ahead to announce the replacement option.

Bangladesh hits back with IPL broadcast ban

The response from Bangladesh was swift and firm. The BCB refused to send its team to India for their scheduled T20 World Cup matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. These matches included games against West Indies, England, Italy, and Nepal.

More importantly, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced a ban on the telecast of IPL matches in the country. 

In a public statement, the ministry said that the release of Mustafizur had hurt and angered the people of Bangladesh. As a result, all IPL broadcasts and related programmes were ordered to be stopped.

Cricket caught in the middle of political tensions

The Mustafizur episode is not happening in isolation. Political tensions between India and Bangladesh have been rising in recent months. 

The situation worsened after reports of violence against minorities in Bangladesh, including the lynching of a Hindu man over alleged blasphemy. India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned these incidents in December.

These tensions have already affected cricket relations. The Bangladesh women’s tour of India was postponed, and India’s men’s tour of Bangladesh is now uncertain. 

While boards often speak about keeping politics out of sport, this case shows how difficult that can be in reality. A single player’s removal has now impacted international tours, World Cup matches, and IPL broadcasts.