Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 roster after receiving BCCI’s directive.

Mustafizur, the only Bangladeshi representative in the upcoming IPL season, was signed by KKR for Rs 9.2 crore in the mini-auction last month. However, as reports of atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh increased, there was growing demand of removing the left-arm pacer from the league.

BCCI on Saturday confirmed that KKR had been instructed to release Mustafizur and the franchise obliged to the board’s diktat within a few hours.

Reacting to the development, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said cricket should not be dragged into attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, while also questioning the rationale behind the decision.

"Recalling my views on the subject, now that BCCI has deplorably pulled the plug on Mustafizur Rahman. And what if the Bangladeshi player in question had been Litton Das or Soumya Sarkar? Who are we punishing here: a nation, an individual, his religion? Where will this mindless politicising of sport lead us?" Tharoor wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, KKR released a media advisory, stating: "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," the statement added.

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

India and Bangladesh were friendly neighbors for decades. Relationships turned sour after the violent ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government last year.

The current government headed by Muhammad Yunus has a markedly different diplomatic posture and is struggling with domestic instability and the rise of anti-India sentiment. The recent killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh has significantly strained relations between two nations, pushing already existing tensions into a deeper crisis.

That has also filtered into sports, with the BCCI also putting on hold a scheduled tour of Bangladesh in 2026, which was recently announced by the BCB. The Indian board will now reportedly seek the central government’s approval for the tour.