IPL chairman Arun Dhumal on Mustafizur Rahman’s exit from KKR: ‘Unfortunate’
IPL chairman Arun Dhumal has finally broken his silence on Mustafizur Rahman’s omission from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), three months after the controversy around the Bangladesh pacer dominated headlines.
In December last year, Mustafizur was signed for Rs 9.20 crore, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi cricketer in IPL history. However, KKR were later forced to release the left-arm pacer following a BCCI directive amid tensions between India and Bangladesh.
Dhumal said it was unfortunate that the seamer was unable to take part in the tournament.
“I would only say it was unfortunate. Beyond that, I do not have much knowledge,” Dhumal told the Financial Times.
“It is unfortunate, I would say, the way things unfold at times. I do not think the government has any interest or any role to play in running cricket day to day. The government is supportive of cricket at large. But, yes, sometimes events happen around us and decisions follow. I am sure good sense will prevail and that this will not be the case going forward,” Dhumal added.
HOW THE MUSTAFIZUR CONTROVERSY ESCALATED
After Mustafizur Rahman was left out, Bangladesh protested and boycotted the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board stated that the team would only participate if their matches were moved out of India, citing security concerns.
However, the ICC rejected the request, and Bangladesh were eventually replaced by Scotland for the tournament.
Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman went on to feature in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after being signed by Lahore Qalandars for PKR 6.44 crore, which is roughly equivalent to INR 2 crore.
In two matches in PSL 2026, Mustafizur has taken two wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.87. The left-arm pacer recently also featured in the ODI series against Pakistan, where he picked up five wickets in three games at an economy rate of 5.28, including a three-wicket haul.
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