Kolkata Knight Riders picked up Mustafizur Rahman for a whopping Rs 9.20 crore in the latest IPL mini-auction; However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board official suggested that the fast bowler would return to the country for the series against New Zealand, and hence, he would not be available for the entire season.
The PSL and IPL windows will clash for another season, and hence, some changes need to be made in Bangladesh’s international calendar as well, as they have to play a series before the start of the franchise tournament.
Apart from this, other international commitments like the ODI series against New Zealand is an important matter for the Bangladesh team, which they want to secure ahead of the 2027 ICC World Cup, and they will need their best players on the field.
BCB official confirms Pakistan series amid PSL clash
Bangladesh Cricket Board official has confirmed that the upcoming series against Pakistan, comprising two Tests and three ODIs, will be rescheduled and played on either side of the PSL, as the PSL window has clashed with the league.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Bangladesh has offered Pakistan to play three ODI matches before the start of the PSL and IPL, while the Test section will be played in May after the league ends.
“It (the remainder of the Pakistan series) should be in two parts (before and after the PSL),” BCB chairman of cricket operations Nazmul Abedin told reporters on Wednesday, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Mustafizur Rahman will not be a part of the entire IPL season
Mustafizur Rahman was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026 at a whopping price of Rs 9.20 crore. He can be cited as a backup option for Lankan fast bowler Mathisha Pathirana.
BCB operations chairman Nazmul Abedin confirmed that Mustafizur Rahman is not available for the IPL season. Nazmul confirmed that he will return for the eight-day ODI series against New Zealand.
Bangladesh are currently ranked 10th in the ICC ODI rankings and have managed to win only 3 of their 9 matches in 2025 ODI matches. For direct qualification to the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, Bangladesh will have to get back into the top eight of the rankings, and hence, they are desperate to win the New Zealand series.
“We have given NOC to Mustafizur for the entire IPL. He will return to play for the national team only during the New Zealand ODI series, which consists of three matches,” Nazmul said.
He said, “He will return for eight days to play the ODI series.” He said that the competitive environment in the IPL will help him perform well against New Zealand.
Bangladesh not ready to repeat the mistake of releasing Mustafizur Rahman!
As he remembers, the last time Bangladesh toured UAE, they made a huge mistake by releasing Mustafizur Rahman for the IPL. He believed that the main reason for the defeat was the absence of Mustafizur Rahman from the Bangladesh team.
He also reflected on Mustafizur Rahman’s development after his stellar performances in the IPL, as he has benefited from the best T20 league in the world. They do not want to take any more risks on this occasion against New Zealand.
“So we considered all the pros and cons and felt that his presence is important for us. With our existing strength, his presence makes the team stronger and that’s the idea behind this decision,” he said.
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