Mustafizur retained by IPL-owned Dubai Capitals for ILT20

Mustafizur Rahman has been retained by Dubai Capitals for the upcoming edition of the UAE’s ILT20, giving the Bangladesh pacer another opportunity to play for a franchise owned by an Indian Premier League team.

Dubai Capitals, owned by the same group that owns IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, confirmed the retention on their social media page on Tuesday night. The franchise posted a video featuring Mustafizur’s bowling highlights with the message: “Mustafizur is coming back.”

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The experienced left-arm pacer was retained ahead of the ILT20 auction after featuring for the Dubai Capitals in the previous edition.

Mustafizur staying with Dubai Capitals was largely expected, but the retention carries added significance given the events surrounding his most recent IPL experience.

At last year’s IPL auction, Mustafizur was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a record price for a Bangladeshi player in the league. However, KKR were forced to release him following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The episode came amid growing tensions between the two countries, eventually contributing to Bangladesh’s decision to withdraw from this year’s T20 World Cup. The decision, taken by the then interim government, was publicly criticised by several Bangladesh cricketers.

Relations between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and BCCI have since improved somewhat following a change in government and subsequent changes at the BCB. However, uncertainty still remains, with India’s proposed tour of Bangladesh now facing fresh doubts.

The BCB had earmarked September 1 to 13 for India’s six-match white-ball tour, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, with the visitors expected to arrive in Dhaka on August 28. The series, originally scheduled for August last year, was postponed after political relations between the two countries deteriorated.

The latest complication came after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed that Afghanistan will play India in a three-match T20I series in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17, with the BCCI agreeing to the dates.

That schedule overlaps with the BCB’s proposed window, making the Bangladesh tour increasingly uncertain with less than three weeks remaining before the planned start. State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque said on Monday that the matter was “being worked on at the ministerial level”, with discussions ongoing between the foreign ministers of the two countries.

India last toured Bangladesh for a bilateral series in 2022, when the visitors won the two-Test series 2-0, while Bangladesh took the three-match ODI series 2-1.

Against that backdrop, Mustafizur’s return to an IPL-owned franchise is another notable development in the evolving cricketing ties between the two countries.