“Who are we punishing?” Shashi Tharoor slams ‘mindless politicization of sport’ after KKR sacks Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman | Cricket News – The Tech Word News

Shashi Tharoor, Mustafizur Rahman NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said cricket should not be dragged into attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, reacting to Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) decision to drop Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL 2026 squad on the orders of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).By sharing a video on Friday, Tharoor made his stand on the matter clear. “I am recalling my views on the subject, now that BCCI has regrettably ripped off Mustafizur Rahman,” he said. He then questioned the logic of the move, adding, “What if that Bangladeshi player was Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar?”

BCCI asks KKR to drop Bangladesh player from IPL after outrage over attacks on Hindu minorities

Tharoor raised sharper questions about the wider implications of the decision. “Who are we punishing here: the nation, the individual, their religion? Where will this mindless politicization of sports lead us?” he asked.His comments came after KKR confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman had been dropped from the squad for the upcoming season on BCCI’s instructions. In a media alert, the franchise said, “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.”“The release was made after due process and consultation, at the behest of the Board of Control for Cricket in India,” the statement added.The news release also said, “BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders to replace players as per IPL regulations and further details will be communicated in due course.”Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board had directed KKR to release the Bangladeshi pacer “due to recent developments”.KKR signed the 30-year-old left-arm pacer for Rs 9.20 crore, from a base price of Rs 2 crore, after a bidding war involving Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals at the auction last month.Mustafizur Rahman has played in eight IPL seasons since 2016, missing only the 2019 and 2020 editions. He has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The 2026 season was set to be his first with three-time champions KKR.