Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) IPL 2026 squad, reportedly following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has triggered widespread criticism, with several voices condemning what they describe as the politicisation of sport.
Mustafizur, popularly known as Fizz, was bought by KKR for INR 9.2 crore at the IPL auction late last year. However, the franchise later confirmed his release, citing directives from the BCCI, without providing any specific reason.
According to Indian media reports, the BCCI referred vaguely to “recent developments which are going on all across,” a statement widely interpreted as an indirect reference to prevailing geopolitical tensions in the region.
In recent days, sections of Indian media have reported that certain religious and political figures criticised KKR and its owner Shah Rukh Khan for including Mustafizur in their squad, alleging that minorities were being attacked in Bangladesh. Within hours of the controversy escalating, KKR issued a statement confirming that “the release has been carried out following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.”
While several ruling party politicians publicly supported the decision, opposition leaders strongly criticised the move. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor termed it “mindless politicising of sport” and questioned the rationale behind holding an individual athlete accountable for developments in another country.
Reacting on X, Tharoor wrote: “Recalling my views on the subject, now that BCCI has deplorably pulled the plug on Mustafizur Rahman. And what if the Bangladeshi player in question had been Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar? Who are we punishing here: a nation, an individual, his religion? Where will this mindless politicising of sport lead us?”
Tharoor reiterated that cricket should not be dragged into discussions surrounding attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and stressed the need to insulate sport from political and religious tensions.
“Mustafizur Rahman is a cricketer and has nothing to do with any of these things. He has not been personally accused of hate speech, attacks, or condoning such acts. He is a sportsman, and mixing these two things is simply not fair,” he said.
He further warned that isolating neighbouring countries through sporting boycotts would serve no constructive purpose.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge echoed similar concerns, questioning the roles of the BCCI, the ICC and the Union government in the controversy, according to The Hindu.
Mustafizur has been a regular feature in the IPL since 2016, having represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In his IPL career so far, he has taken 65 wickets in 60 matches.
His exclusion has also sparked strong reactions on social media in Bangladesh, although the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh are scheduled to play all four of their group-stage matches in India during the upcoming T20 World Cup next month, with three of those fixtures set to be held in Kolkata. Following the Mustafizur incident, concerns have emerged regarding the security and overall treatment of the Bangladesh team during the tournament.
