Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s inclusion in Kolkata Knight Riders for the IPL 2026 had sparked a row of controversies eventually leading to his exit. KKR bagged Rahman for Rs 9.2 crore, up from a base price of Rs 2 crore, after a bidding war with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals.
The BCCI said that KKR will be permitted to name a replacement cricketer if needed.
“The BCCI has asked Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from its squad. They can ask for a replacement if needed. And upon request, BCCI will allow a replacement player,” Saikia said while speaking to the media in Guwahati.
KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan also faced criticism. Hindu seer Jagadguru Rambhadracharya slammed SRK and called him traitor.
“His (Shah Rukh’s) approach has always been as that of a traitor.” Pointing to atrocities on Hindus in the neighbouring country, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya called this move of the 60-year-old Bollywood icon anti-national and said, “It is unfortunate (Shah Rukh Khan took Bangladeshi cricketer in KKR for IPL 2026), but he will do so because he is considered a hero,” he said during an interview with PTI.
“His character has always been questionable and anti-national,” he added.
“The way Hindus are being persecuted in Bangladesh, women and girls are being raped, their homes are being burned, and anti-India slogans are being chanted there. Despite all this, traitors like Shah Rukh Khan, I’m calling him a traitor because everything he has is given by India, given by the people of India, but where do they invest this money? They invest it in players from a country that is working against India,” ANI quoted Sangeet Som as saying.
Earlier, religious leaders in Ujjain had issued a stark warning to disrupt Indian Premier League (IPL) matches by damaging pitches if Mustafizur Rahman is allowed to participate. Recent incidents in Bangladesh have sparked widespread outrage.
Now the big question is will there be a change in the T20 World Cup 2026 roaster as Bangladesh are scheduled to play some of their matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. NewsX.com has reliably learnt that there is no discussions on the T20 World Cup schedule yet.
India Tour Of Bangladesh In Jeopardy
According to The Indian Express, the BCCI will now seek the Indian government’s approval for the tour. “We didn’t travel to Bangladesh last year too, BCB had issued their international calendar, but it looks doubtful, as we need Indian government approval to play in any other country,” the newspaper quoted a BCCI official as saying.
Also Read: 5 Players Who Can Replace Mustafizur Rahman In Kolkata Knight Riders
