Kolkata (West Bengal)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday confirmed that it has excluded Bangladeshi player Muztafizur Rahman from its IPL 2026 squad after the Board of Control for Cricket in India's directive.

A media advisory issued by the KKR stated, "Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI/IPL as the regulator of IPL has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season."

"The release has been carried out following due process and consultations, upon the instruction of the Board of Control of Cricket in India," it said.

"BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders a replacement player in line with IPL regulations, and further details will be communicated in due course," the advisory stated.

This comes after the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that the apex cricket board has instructed the IPL franchise KKR to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman "due to the recent developments".

"Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh from their squad and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement," Devaijit Saikia told ANI.

Notably, the inclusion of the Bangladesh player has sparked a political backlash, particularly amid the recent targeting of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh, and various opinions have been raised about Mustafizur being selected by KKR for the IPL 2026 season.

Mustafizur was picked up by the Kolkata-based franchise for a whopping Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL auction in December last year.

After BCCI's directive, BJP leader Sangeet Singh Som welcomed the apex board's decision and targeted the franchise's co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, saying the actor has understood not to go against the "Sanatanis".

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Speaking with ANI, Sangeet Singh Som said, "Thanks to BCCI for its decision in view of the 100 crore Sanatanis of India. We said yesterday that cognisance will be taken of this matter because the sentiments of 100 crore people cannot be taken lightly... This is the victory of the Hindus of the entire nation."

"Shah Rukh Khan has understood that he should not go against Sanatanis while living in India. He has also understood that thousands of Sanatanis have made him Shah Rukh Khan," he added.