A fresh political storm has erupted over the high-profile signing of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), putting franchise co-owner Shah Rukh Khan under immense pressure ahead of the 2026 season.
Mustafizur Rahman saga: The signing that sparked political controversy
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought Bangladesh left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for a whopping price of ₹9.20 crore in the IPL 2026 auction. This was just a move to strengthen their bowling attack, but the recent situation of Hindustan in Bangladesh is putting constant pressure on KKR and SRK.
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While Mustafizur is a proven T20 asset, the cricketer’s signing is now overshadowed by geopolitical tensions due to growing anger over repeated reports of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The matter has now moved beyond social media anger to open political demands.
Political reaction and demand for ban
Many political leaders have openly urged Shahrukh Khan to remove the Bangladeshi fast bowler from the KKR team. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has requested the KKR co-owner to drop Mustafizur from the team, saying that the presence of the Bangladeshi player in his team could make the Bollywood superstar a direct target of public anger.
ANI quoted Sanjay Nirupam as saying, “When the entire nation is angry and angry at Bangladesh, anyone in India who has even the slightest connection with Bangladeshis can become the target of that anger. If there is a Bangladeshi in Shahrukh Khan’s team, before he becomes a big target, we request that Shahrukh Khan remove the Bangladeshi from his team. This will be for his own well-being and will also protect India’s interests.”
The pressure increased further when Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey demanded a complete ban on Bangladeshi players in the IPL. He said that foreign players from countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan should not be allowed to play on Indian soil, especially at a time when emotions are running high due to attacks on Hindu minorities across the border.
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Dubey said, “Bangladeshi players should not be allowed to play on Indian soil in the IPL… Pakistani and Bangladeshi players should be banned. They have hatred towards us for killing our Hindu brothers and sisters… Shahrukh Khan should immediately remove that Bangladeshi cricketer from his team… If even after all this uproar he does not do so, it will prove that when he lives in this country and earns money here, he does not understand the sentiments of this country.”
Shahrukh Khan’s history is full of political controversies!
In 2012, the Bollywood icon was banned from entering Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for five years after an argument with security staff. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) later eased the ban, and it was lifted in 2015. A few years later, the actor revealed that he became angry because his children were present there and were not being handled properly, and a security guard used a word offensive to his religion, causing him to lose his temper.
And then in 2015, SRK noted the “rising intolerance” in India, leading to him being labeled an “anti-national”, with several political leaders suggesting he “go to Pakistan”. Given these past incidents, the KKR-Rahman deal is being linked to alleged anti-India sentiments and violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
