KKR release Mustafizur Rahman following BCCI instructions and receive approval to sign a replacement player ahead of the season.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially released Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad after the BCCI instructed the franchise to do so, citing unspecified “recent developments”, while also clearing them to sign a replacement player in line with IPL regulations.
Earlier in the day, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board had instructed KKR to release the Bangladesh left-arm seamer in light of recent developments in Bangladesh. He added that the board would permit the franchise to sign a replacement should it choose to do so.
KKR later issued a formal statement confirming that the release had been carried out ‘following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control for Cricket in India”, The franchise also noted that the BCCI and IPL, acting as the competition’s regulator, had approved the inclusion of a replacement player, with further details to be announced in due course.
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Tensions with Bangladesh
So what are the “recent developments” referenced by the BCCI? They stem from escalating reports of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, a situation that has drawn increasing concern within India’s political and diplomatic circles.
In recent weeks, there has been a discernible pattern of attacks, including the lynching of Deepu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal within the span of a week – incidents that have come to symbolise the deteriorating law and order situation and intensified calls in India for a firmer stance on bilateral engagement.
Even before the BCCI’s intervention, Shah Rukh Khan and Kolkata Knight Riders management had begun facing backlash on social media. Sections of Indian supporters questioned the presence of a Bangladeshi player in the squad at a time of heightened tensions and widespread reports of targeted violence across the border.
The issue soon spilt into the political arena. Several voices, particularly from right-of-centre parties and Hind organisations, publicly urged Indian teams and leagues to “reconsider” sporting ties with Bangladesh until stronger safeguards for minorities were evident. They argue that continuing to field players such as Mustafizur Rahman risked sending the wrong signal amid ongoing unrest.
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India–Bangladesh cricket in the shadow
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) unveiled its home season, beginning in March 2026, on Friday. The schedule includes a white-ball series against India comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, originally slated for 2025 but later postponed. Before that, Bangladesh are set to tour India for the T20 World Cup in February-March.
However, with tensions still simmering and fresh incidents of violence being reported, there is little clarity on when, and in what form, bilateral cricket between the two countries might resume.
Mustafizur’s performance in IPL
Mustafizur was the only Bangladesh cricketer to find an IPL team ahead of the 2026 season. The left-arm pacer is currently playing in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for Rangpur Riders.
At the 2026 IPL auction, KKR had invested heavily in him as a death-overs specialist, securing him for Rs 9.2 crore after he had already built a solid IPL résumé of 60 matches and 65 wickets across stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals, making him one of the few Bangladeshi players to sustain a long IPL career after Shakib Al Hasan.
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Possible replacement options for KKR
With BCCI confirming that KKR will be allowed to sign a replacement, attention now shifts to who can fill the void in their overseas pace attack. Notably, KKR still boast a strong pace bowling line-up, with Akash Deep, Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana and Australia all-rounder Cameron Green.
One obvious profile match to fill the void is Australia’s left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, a tall, skiddy seamer with strong T20 numbers in the BBL who offers new-ball swing and sharp change of pace at the death, and whose upside makes him an attractive medium-to-long-term investment.
Another plausible candidate is Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, a left-arm seamer with experience across global T20 leagues and a proven powerplay record, whose angle and control could replicate elements of what KKR had hoped to get from Mustafizur.
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