- By Himanshu Badola
- Mon, 05 Jan 2026 01:14 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mustafizur Rahman has found himself in a major controversy over the past few days as he was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders from their IPL 2026 squad as the franchise followed the BCCI's instructions. The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned Kolkata Knight Riders bought Bangladesh's pacer Mustafizur for Rs 9.2 crore after a bidding war at the mini auction in Abu Dhabi last month.
Mustafizur is currently playing for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League and has produced impressive performances despite so much going on off the field. He bowled a match-winning final over against the Dhaka Capitals on Sunday, January 4, at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium. Powered by his spell, the Riders edged past the Capitals by just five runs.
After the match, Mustafizur's teammate Nurul Hasan Sohan lauded the star pacer's outstanding display, noting that despite missing out on the IPL, he has remained calm, relaxed and focused. "For us, Mustafiz is a world-class bowler. He has been proving that for a long time. Everyone has confidence in him. There is nothing more to say about him; everyone is always impressed," Sohan said while speaking 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.
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"Mustafiz might feel bad. He always dreams of giving his best for Bangladesh. To me, it seems he is calm," Sohan said.
Notably, Mustafizur's exit from the IPL 2026 came amid the ongoing backlash with the political and public reactions following the rise in the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. The Indo-Bangladesh ties have descended into turmoil after the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August 2025.
Earlier, the 30-year-old Mustafizur himself issued a little reaction as he sounded disappointed upon hearing about getting released and not getting a chance to play in the upcoming edition of the premier T20 tournament. "If they release me, there’s nothing much I can do," said Mustafizur Rahman to BDCrictime.