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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday requested Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the development to news agency ANI, stating that the call was taken in light of recent developments at the board level.
“Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchisee KKR to release one of their player Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement,” said Saikia.
KKR Got Him For Rs 9.20cr
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Kolkata Knight Riders acquired Mustafizur Rahman for Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction held in December. The purchase triggered intense backlash from political leaders and religious organisations, many of whom cited Bangladesh’s current diplomatic position and reports of violence against Hindu minorities as reasons for opposing the signing. The bidding witnessed a fierce contest between KKR and Chennai Super Kings, with the Kolkata-based franchise eventually emerging victorious. However, in the days that followed, both KKR and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan came under heavy criticism for signing the Bangladesh pacer amid strained diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.
Several political leaders from the BJP and Shiv Sena launched sharp attacks on Shah Rukh Khan and the franchise, accusing them of ignoring national sentiment while making the signing. Relations between the two neighbouring countries had already been under strain following the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man, in Mymensingh last month, further intensifying the backlash.
BJP Leader Threatened KKR, SRK
BJP leader Kaustav Bagchi also weighed in on the issue, issuing a public warning regarding IPL matches scheduled to be played in Kolkata. Reacting strongly to Mustafizur Rahman’s inclusion, Bagchi cautioned against allowing Bangladeshi players to feature in the city and made a controversial statement.
“If any Bangladeshi cricketer is included in the IPL team and wants to play a match in Kolkata we won’t let it do it. We won’t even let Shahrukh Khan enter Kolkata. Bangladeshi cricketers like Mustafizur Rahman will earn crores of money and other Bangladeshi will supply firearms and our Hindu brothers will be killed with these weapons it cannot be run simultaneously,” Bagchi said.
Backlash
The move triggered strong reactions from political leaders and religious organisations, many of whom opposed the signing by citing Bangladesh’s diplomatic stance and reports of violence against Hindu minorities. As the controversy grew, Shah Rukh Khan found himself at the centre of the storm. Hindu religious leaders and several BJP figures intensified their criticism, with some going as far as branding the Bollywood star a traitor due to his association with the franchise and its decision to sign a Bangladeshi player. The issue sharply polarised political opinion, with leaders from the Congress party stepping forward to defend Shah Rukh Khan, one of the co-owners of Kolkata Knight Riders.
Muslim religious and political leaders also responded to the unfolding controversy, expanding the debate beyond cricket. Their reactions highlighted how regional politics and cross-border tensions had increasingly begun to intersect with professional sport, once again raising questions about overseas player participation in India’s premier cricket league.
KKR squad
Rahane, Angkrish, Anukul Roy, Harshit, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep, Rinku, Rovman, Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Chakaravarthy, Green, Pathirana, Fizz, Tejasvi Dahiya, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Tripathi, Daksh Kamra, Solanki, Tyagi, Sarthak Ranjan, Akash Deep, Rachin.
KKR picks in IPL mini auction
Cameron Green (25.20 cr), Matheesha Pathirana (18 cr), Mustafizur Rahman (9.20 cr), Tejasvi Singh (3 cr), Finn Allen (2 cr), Tim Seifert (1.50 cr), Rahul Tripathi (75 L), Kartik Tyagi (30 L), Daksh Kamra (30 L), Sarthak Ranjan (30 L), Prashant Solanki (30 L), Akashdeep (1 cr), Rachin Ravindra (2 cr)
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