Mustafizur Rahman remains calm despite KKR release drama, says teammate
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman remains calm and focused despite the disappointment of being released from his Rs 9.20 crore IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to his Rangpur Riders captain Nurul Hasan Sohan. The revelation comes as the controversy continues to escalate, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) withdrawing Mustafizur’s No Objection Certificate (NoC) to participate in the IPL.
Nurul Hasan Sohan: “He’s calm and at ease”
After KKR acted on the BCCI’s instruction to release Mustafizur, the pacer remained busy with the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), playing for Rangpur Riders. Following the match against the Dhaka Capitals, Rangpur captain Nurul Hasan Sohan was asked about Mustafizur’s mood in the camp.
“For us, Mustafiz is a world-class bowler. He has been proving that for a long time. Everyone has confidence in him. There’s nothing more to say about him, everyone is always impressed,” Sohan said in the post-match press conference.
“He is relaxed and at ease. At the same time, there may still be some disappointment (regarding the KKR issue). He deserves what he has now, and he deserved even more before. But I think he’s doing just fine,” Sohan added.
“Mustafiz might feel bad, but he’s calm”
Since Mustafizur was released from his IPL contract, a lot has happened in the global cricketing spectrum. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly working to draft a new schedule for the T20 World Cup, which starts in one month’s time, after Bangladesh refused to travel to India for the tournament.
“To be honest, I don’t follow social media that much. I don’t really know very much about what’s happening outside. Yeah, people were talking about it. Mustafiz might feel bad. He always dreams of giving his best for Bangladesh. To me it seems he’s calm,” Sohan asserted.
BCB withdraws Mustafizur’s NoC for IPL
Reacting to the BCCI’s decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has also withdrawn the NoC granted to Mustafizur to participate in the IPL. This means that even a U-turn from the BCCI on the matter would not be enough for the left-arm pacer to play in the IPL 2026 season.
The Indian board didn’t want Mustafizur—the only Bangladesh cricketer to be a part of the IPL 2026 setup—playing for KKR after outrage over attacks on Hindu minorities in his country following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2025.
The controversy has escalated into a full-blown diplomatic row, with Bangladesh refusing to send its team to India for the T20 World Cup and demanding that all their matches be shifted to Sri Lanka.