NEW DELHI (Bernama): India's cricket board told a team of the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman due to "recent developments" involving the two countries.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) confirmed that it has released the player from the squad playing in the IPL's 2026 edition as instructed by the regulator.
"The release has been carried out following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control of Cricket in India,” KKR said in a statement on Saturday.
Mustafizur Rahman has played for different IPL franchises such as Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals in previous seasons of the Twenty20 cricket competition organised by the BCCI.
KKR acquired the 30-year-old player for 92 million rupees (about US$1 million) in a bidding contest in December to play the IPL's 19th edition starting on March 26.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told Indian media that the regulator asked KKR to release the Bangladesh player "due to the recent developments”.
Both countries in December summoned each other's top diplomats following protests outside their diplomatic missions.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have been frosty since Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after being toppled in a mass uprising. -- Bernama
