A report claims the decision to remove Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026 was taken at the top level, without consulting all BCCI and IPL council members.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India did not conduct a formal meeting before directing the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL, according to a report from the Indian Express. On January 3, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Kolkata Knight Riders were instructed to release Rahman. The franchise had bought him for INR 9.20 crore at the Abu Dhabi mini-auction.
However, the report notes that several BCCI members and IPL governing council officials were not consulted. The decision was reportedly taken by senior leadership within the board.
“We ourselves got to know about this through the media. There was no discussion. No suggestion was taken from our side,” the Indian Express quoted a BCCI official as saying.
IPL Broadcast Suspended In Bangladesh
The decision was based on the growing public backlash in India amid recent violence in Bangladesh. However, the fallout has now extended beyond the IPL.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board approached the ICC seeking a venue change for its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh government also ordered an indefinite ban on IPL broadcasts nationwide. Interim advisor Asif Nazrul said the country would not tolerate perceived disrespect toward its cricketers.
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India’s scheduled tour of Bangladesh in September 2026, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, now remains uncertain pending government clearance.
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