India-Bangladesh
Bangladesh says ‘no’ to India tour for T20 WC after KKR drops star pacer Mustafizur Rahman
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to travel to India to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup, a day after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released pacer Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season.
The decision was made during a meeting held on Saturday, attended by 17 members of the Board of Directors, according to Prothom Alo.
“We will clarify our position formally through an official press release shortly,” Nazmul Abedeen, head of the cricket operations department, told Prothom Alo.
Bangladesh was scheduled to play its opening T20 World Cup match in Kolkata against two-time champions West Indies on February 7, with other group matches set for Mumbai. The BCB has reportedly sent a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) requesting a change of venue. India and Sri Lanka are set to jointly host the tournament.
The decision follows KKR’s announcement on Saturday that it had released Rahman from its squad for the upcoming IPL season, following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Rahman’s inclusion in the KKR squad had sparked political and social controversy in India. Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som publicly accused Bollywood actor and KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan of being a “traitor” for signing a Bangladeshi player, claiming that Bangladeshi cricketers would face opposition if they toured India.
The backlash escalated after spiritual leader Devkinandan Thakur urged KKR management to reconsider Rahman’s selection. It intensified further when Meera Rathore, district president of the All India Hindu Mahasabha in Agra, staged a protest by defacing a poster of Shah Rukh Khan, drawing widespread criticism.
KKR had purchased Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.2 crore at the IPL mini-auction in December 2025.
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