- By Gurmeet Batra
- Tue, 06 Jan 2026 12:34 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is unlikely to receive any financial compensation.
Despite having no role in the events that led to the termination of his contract, Rahman will remain empty-handed as KKR are not legally required to pay any compensation.
According to news agency PTI, the existing Indian Premier League (IPL) contract conditions do not mandate salary protection in such cases.
Mustafizur was acquired by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL 2025 auction following fiery bidding wars from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Capitals (DC). The Indian Board didn't explain the reasons for its judgment and merely noted that it was necessitated by "the developments all around".
In a retaliatory move, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate their T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing safety concerns for their players.
As per PTI, while the move has initiated debate over the player's rights, particularly since he neither freely pulled out of the tournament nor was charged with any misconduct, sources say the current insurance framework leaves little room for settlement.
"The salaries of all IPL players are insured. For foreign international players, normally the franchise pays if he is injured after joining the camp or during the course of the tournament," an IPL source in the know of things told PTI on condition of anonymity.
"Normally, up to 50 per cent is paid from insurance. It is better for India's injured centrally contracted cricketers who normally get paid by the BCCI," the source further added.
However, Mustafizur's issue does not fall under the traditional insurance clauses. Since the exit was not due to injury or a cricketing reason linked to participation in the league, KKR are not contractually bound to pay him any amount.
"In case of an insurance claim, this current situation isn't covered, so KKR are under no official obligation to pay a penny. It is unfortunate but Mustafizur doesn't have much of an option but to take a legal route and that too IPL comes under Indian law jurisdiction. No overseas cricketer would want to go through this or take the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) route," the source said.
The source further described that the broader geopolitical context also acts as an obstacle.
"The Indo-Bangladesh political scenario is way more fluid than Indo-Pak and it can change next year, so why would one take the risk of legal recourse?" the source added.
As things stand, despite being a high-value asset and having no disciplinary or experienced breach against him, Mustafizur seems set to walk away empty-handed.
(With PTI Inputs)