BCCI confirms Mustafizur Rahman to play IPL 2026, no ban on Bangladeshi players

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly addressed speculation surrounding Bangladeshi cricketers' involvement in the upcoming IPL 2026 season in the wake of the high-stakes auction held in Abu Dhabi, where Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) splashed out a staggering ₹9.20 crore to acquire seasoned left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, igniting fierce public discourse against the backdrop of strained India-Bangladesh relations due to reported atrocities on religious minorities.

Some voices demanded a boycott, but the BCCI stressed no official ban exists. A senior official noted, “Bangladesh is not an enemy nation,” in accordance with Mustafur's participation. 

Despite calls for an outright boycott from certain quarters and pointed criticism from spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur who accused KKR and co-owner Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan of inflicting pain on Hindus and Sanatan Dharma adherents amid the unrest a top BCCI official underscored that no formal prohibition targets Bangladeshi talents, with mandatory government clearances required universally for overseas participants.

Mustafizur, renowned for claiming 65 wickets across 60 IPL outings at an economical 8.13 rate since his 2016 debut with Sunrisers Hyderabad followed by stints at Mumbai Indians (2018), Rajasthan Royals (2021), Delhi Capitals (2022-23, including as injury cover for Jake Fraser-McGurk), and Chennai Super Kings (2024, released after playoff miss) exemplifies the tension, yet BCCI vows to preserve the league's storied merit-driven, inclusive framework that has long excluded only Pakistani players, balancing geopolitical nuances with contractual obligations and drawing cross-party political support for insulating cricket from diplomatic frays.