Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the recent IPL 2026 Mini Auction.
However, not even a month following the acquisition, he was released from the squad at the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India (BCCI), a move which led to the IPL telecast being banned in Bangladesh.
Interestingly, a report by The Indian Express states that the decision to have Mustafizur Rahman removed from IPL was taken at the top level in the BCCI, without any formal discussions.
No Discussions Held To Decide Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL Removal
The said report quoted a 'top BCCI official' stating that they got to know of the Bangladeshi cricketer's IPL removal through the media, and that no discussions were held to arrive at the decision.
"We ourselves got to know about this through the media. There was no discussion. No suggestion was taken from our side,"
As mentioned earlier, the decision prompted Bangladesh to halt all kinds of IPL telecast in the country.
Authorities in Bangladesh said the decision lacked a rational explanation and had hurt public sentiment. The move comes amid strained cricketing ties between India and Bangladesh, with a postponed bilateral series from 2025 and Bangladesh exploring hosting its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 matches outside India.
The tournament is being hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and will commence from February 7, and according to report by PTI, Senior BCCI officials have brushed aside the request, describing it as “highly impractical” and “next to impossible” to implement.
Having said that, with the T20 World Cup fast approaching, a clear decision on where Bangladesh will play their matches is should be made sooner rather than later.
Also Check: Bangladesh Isn’t the First Asian Country To Ban IPL Telecast: Here’s Who Did It Before