The decision comes in the aftermath of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from Kolkata Knight Riders squad following directives from BCCI.

Ashraful said the issue should never have reached this point and reiterated that cricket should remain confined to the field.

Indian politician and current Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor called out the BCCI for ‘deplorably’ forcing Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad for IPL 2026, doubling down on his belief that politics should not be dragged into sports.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) heeded to the mounting pressure from politicians and religious groups in the country and instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad.

There is a long-standing perception that Mustafizur Rahman has not been the same since undergoing a shoulder surgery in 2016.

Alongside Mustafizur, Kolkata also acquired Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana (INR 18 crore) and Australian all-rounder Cameron Green (INR 25.20 crore) from the mini-auction.

Seven Bangladeshi cricketers will go under the hammer as the mini-auction for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) takes place today in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

With the auction scheduled for December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, teams will now focus on addressing gaps and identifying key match-winners.