The release of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026 has led to a major controversy. The issue has mixed politics and cricket. It has also created tension between India and Bangladesh.
KKR released Mustafizur after receiving a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The decision came amid strained relations between India and Bangladesh. Reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh have led to strong reactions in India. Political and religious groups raised objections after KKR picked Mustafizur in the IPL 2026 auction.
Mustafizur was bought for INR 9.2 crore. He was part of the BCCI-approved player pool. Despite this, his selection triggered backlash. This eventually led to the board stepping in and asking KKR to release him.
Shashi Tharoor questions BCCI decision
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised the move. He accused the BCCI of bringing politics into cricket. Tharoor said a player should not suffer due to diplomatic tensions or social media pressure.
“So if a fellow was in the pool, why is KKR to blame for selecting somebody from that pool? So, the first question is that it makes no sense to object to the selection of somebody whom the BCCI has submitted to all the teams as an eligible player,” he said as quoted by NDTV.
Tharoor also said the decision made no sense from a cricketing point of view. He added that franchises only choose players from the list given by the BCCI.
He further warned against comparing Bangladesh with Pakistan.
“We have also tried to greet Tariq Rahman (chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and son of ex-PM Khaleda Zia), who many people see as a likely future Prime Minister after the elections. No, Bangladesh is not Pakistan. Bangladesh has not been dispatching terrorists across the border. It’s not a comparable situation at all,” he added.
The issue has now gone global. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has written to the ICC over player safety concerns in India. Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul has questioned whether the team will feel safe playing there. Bangladesh is reportedly considering asking for its T20 World Cup matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka. Kolkata is set to host their opening games.
ALSO READ BCCI Directs KKR to release Mustafizur Rahman ahead of IPL 2026
