Was IPL governing council consulted on Mustafizur Rahman’s exit?

Published - 06 Jan 2026, 10:42 IST | Updated - 06 Jan 2026, 11:12 IST

The decision to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has triggered huge controversy, with several reports claiming that neither senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials nor the IPL Governing Council were consulted before the call was taken.

Mustafizur was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 9.20 crore during the IPL 2026 mini-auction. However, just weeks later, the franchise was instructed by the BCCI to release the left-arm pacer from its squad. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia publicly confirmed the decision, stating that the step was taken in light of recent developments and that the board had directed KKR to remove the Bangladesh international from their roster.

The decision came amid escalating political tensions between India and Bangladesh following reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in the neighbouring country. According to a report by The Indian Express, the decision to release Mustafizur was taken at the highest level of the BCCI, without consultation with several board members or the IPL Governing Council. A senior BCCI official was quoted as saying that even those closely associated with IPL operations were unaware of the move until it was reported by the media.

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

Bangladesh bans IPL broadcast over Mustafizur's KKR snub

In protest against Mustafizur’s removal, the interim Bangladesh government ordered an indefinite ban on the broadcast and telecast of IPL matches within the country. The Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the decision had hurt and angered the people of Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has refused to send its team to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, citing safety concerns. Bangladesh were scheduled to play three group matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and one at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. The BCB has formally requested the ICC to shift its matches to Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament.