Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) on January 3 instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman from their roster for IPL 2026 season. BCCI further said that it will permit the franchise to replace the player.
BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia told reporters that, “Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their player Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement.” The inclusion of the Bangladesh player had kicked up a political storm especially in context of the recent targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
Earlier, Spiritual guru Devkinandan Thakur criticized Shah Rukh Khan over the inclusion of a Bangladesh player in his co-owned KKR team for the IPL. He sent sharp comments against the Bollywood actor and the management of the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The three-time champions Kolkata acquired right-arm pacer Mustafizur for a massive amount of Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL auction.
Devkinandan Thakur stated that Hindus in Bangladesh were facing extreme atrocities. “In Bangladesh, Hindus are being brutally murdered, their homes are being burned, and their sisters and daughters are being raped. After witnessing such brutal killings, how can someone be so heartless, especially someone who calls himself the owner of a team? How can he be so cruel as to include a cricketer from that very country in his team?” he said.
