Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday granted the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to their ace pacer Mustafizur Rahman to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021). 

Mustafizur Rahman, who was bought by Rajasthan Royals (RR) for his base price of Rs 1 crore at the IPL 2021 auction is set to feature in the IPL 14. 

Talking about Rahman’s availability for the IPL 2021, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief selector Minhajul Abedin confirmed that the former has been granted NOC for IPL as he is not in the Test plans for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. 

"We have given him NOC for IPL as he is not in our Test plans for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. It's better if he plays there and gains some experience,” Minhajul Abedin told Cricbuzz. 

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However, last month the left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman said that he is willing to put national duty as his priority over IPL, and will be available for selection for the Test series against Sri Lanka if selected. 

"My first priority is to play for my country and if I am picked in the Test series against Sri Lanka, I will naturally play. If I am not picked then BCB will tell me that I am not included. At that point, if I am given NOC to play in the IPL then I will play but patriotism comes first for me,” Mustafizur Rahman said. 

With the unavailability of Jofra Archer in the first half of the tournament due to injury, the Bangladesh pacer could play a vital part in the Sanju Samson-led franchise. 

Playing for Sunrises Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2016, Mustafizur made a big impact as he scalped 17 wickets and won the Emerging Player of the Year Award. 

BCB however, didn’t grant NOC to Mustafizur last year as had revealed plans to allow Bangladeshi players to take part in only two franchise-based T20 tournaments per year.

(Cricbuzz Inputs)