Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has praised the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) for their swift action on the controversy surrounding Mustafizur Rahman’s participation in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). Several politicians have openly expressed their displeasure with the Bangladesh fast bowler’s inclusion in the tournament, citing repeated incidents of violence against Hindus in the neighboring country.
Amid widespread criticism, the BCCI immediately intervened and asked the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Rahman from their team, which had acquired him for Rs 9 crore in a mini-auction in December. The decision was welcomed by a large section of citizens in light of continuing reports of targeted killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.
Mohammed Azharuddin also condemned the tragic state of affairs in Bangladesh and praised the BCCI for their quick response.
“The board has not done anything wrong. What is happening in Bangladesh is not good. But in sports it is different. But whatever decision the board took, it had to be taken after consulting the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs,” Azharuddin told ANI.
After being dropped by KKR, Mustafizur Rahman also commented on the matter saying, “What else can you do when you get dropped?”
Meanwhile, following the incident, Bangladesh’s caretaker government ordered the Bangladesh Cricket Board to seek to change the venue of the team’s matches at the 2026 ICC Men’s Under-20 World Cup, they are asking to be evicted from India.
The decision was confirmed by Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul, who announced the development in a social media post on Saturday, January 3. Nazrul said the caretaker government had directed the BCB to formally inform the International Cricket Council and suggest Sri Lanka as an alternative venue for Bangladesh’s matches in the tournament.
Bangladesh to stop broadcasting IPL matches
The issue was also discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Saturday, sources told India Today. Nazrul further revealed that he has requested the Information and Broadcasting Minister to stop the telecast of IPL matches in Bangladesh.
The tense diplomatic relationship between India and Bangladesh looks set to affect the cricketing relationship as well, with bilateral engagements likely to be put on hold. While the Bangladesh Cricket Board has announced plans for a limited-overs series in September and even released a proposed itinerary, the BCCI is not willing to tour Bangladesh at this stage.
The series, which includes three ODIs followed by three T20Is, was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed indefinitely after the Indian board raised security concerns.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
January 4, 2026
