Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan (Source: @raisul_rifat88,X.COM)
The cricketing relationship between India and Bangladesh has come under severe strain following the cancellation of Mustafizur Rahman's Indian Premier League (IPL) contract. The incident has prompted strong reactions from the BCB and raised fresh concerns about the future of Bangladeshi players in the IPL.
Earlier, the BCB officially requested that Bangladesh's matches be moved out of India for the T20 World Cup 2026. The board cited growing concerns over the safety and well-being of its players as the primary reason behind this request.
KKR release Mustafizur Rahman following BCCI directive
This dramatic step came soon after Mustafizur was released by KKR, just weeks after being picked in the IPL auction.
KKR announced on Saturday that they had released the ace pacer after the instructions from the BCCI. According to reports, the board directed the franchise to cancel Mustafizur's contract due to strained diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.
Mustafizur Rahman was the only Bangladeshi player among the seven listed who was sold during the IPL 2026 mini-auction held in Abu Dhabi last month. KKR secured his services for INR 9.20 crore in IPL 2026 mini-auction.
As of now, the three-time IPL champions have not announced a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman.
It is important to note that the BCB also revoked the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued to Mustafizur Rahman to play in the IPL.
This means that even if KKR were to reverse their decision and attempt to re-sign the pacer, Mustafizur would not be allowed to participate in the IPL under any circumstances.
BCB seeks T20 WC 2026 venue change
On Sunday, the board released an official statement confirming that it had written to the ICC, requesting a change in venue for Bangladesh's T20 World Cup 2026 matches scheduled to be held in India.
List of Bangladesh players to feature in IPL over the years
While Bangladesh players have featured in the IPL over the years, opportunities have been limited.
Mohammad Ashraful played just one match for the Mumbai Indians in 2009, scoring only two runs. Mashrafe Mortaza also made a single appearance for KKR in the same season, conceding 58 runs in four overs.
Abdur Razzak featured once for RCB in 2008, while Tamim Iqbal was signed by Pune Warriors India in 2012 but never got a chance to play.
The most successful Bangladeshi cricketer in IPL history remains Shakib Al Hasan. Picked by KKR in 2011, Shakib played a key role in their title-winning campaigns in 2012 and 2014.
He later represented SRH and returned to KKR in later seasons. Over his IPL career, Shakib played 71 matches, scoring 793 runs and taking 63 wickets.
Litton Das also had a brief stint with KKR in the 2023 season but played only one match.
| Player | |
| Mohammad Ashraful | |
| Mashrafe Mortaza | |
| Abdur Razzak | |
| Tamim Iqbal | |
| Shakib Al Hasan | |
| Litton Das | |
| Mustafizur Rahman |
Mustafizur Rahman, however, has been one of Bangladesh’s biggest success stories in the IPL. He first joined the league in 2016 with SRH and made an immediate impact. His brilliant performances earned him the Emerging Player of the Tournament award, making him the first overseas player to receive this.
Across 60 IPL matches, Mustafizur has taken 65 wickets with an economy rate of 8.13.
