NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have officially confirmed that Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has been dropped from their squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The franchise shared an update through a press release where they added that the decision was taken on the instructions of the IPL governing body. “Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that the BCCI/IPL as the IPL regulator has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the team ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season,” it said in a statement.
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“The release was made after due process and consultation as directed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.” “BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders a substitute player as per IPL regulations and further details will be communicated in due course.”After a strong performance in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) on Friday, Mustafizur took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his emotions. “Alhamdulillah for another milestone. 400 T20 wickets and a solid win against Sylhet Titans. Always grateful for the performance. Thanks to everyone for the love and support,” Mustafizur Rahman wrote on X. Although he continues to perform well on the field, the development off it has taken a different direction. The BCCI had earlier intervened after public and political backlash followed KKR’s decision to sign him in the IPL auction. The franchise bought Mustafizur for Rs 9.20 crore, much higher than his base price of Rs 2 crore, after competing with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. Soon after the signing, some political leaders and religious groups raised objections. Their concerns were related to current India-Bangladesh relations and reports of unrest in the neighboring country. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the decision and said that KKR will be allowed to name a replacement player. “BCCI has asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their team. If necessary, they can ask for a replacement and BCCI will allow a replacement player if requested,” Saikia told PTI on Saturday.
