Mustafizur Rahman Offered Chance To Pursue Action Against KKR. His Reply
Mustafizur Rahman was given the offer of taking legal action against KKR over his 'non-sporting' release from IPL 2026 but he refused to pursue the matter.
A significant update has emerged on the controversy surrounding Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's unexpected release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Rahman was reportedly offered the chance to take action against the Knight Riders over his forced exit from the squad, that too for non-sporting reasons but the left-arm seamer decided to bury the hatchet. Mohammad Mithun, the President of the Cricketers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), has revealed that a potential legal or administrative battle against the IPL franchise was contemplated but was dropped at Rahman's insistence.
The controversy erupted earlier this month after the BCCI instructed KKR to release Mustafizur from his Rs 9.20 crore contract for the 2026 season, citing "recent developments" and growing geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh.
According to Mithun, the World Cricketers' Association (WCA)-the global body for players' unions had closely monitored the situation. The WCA informed CWAB that there were grounds to take action against KKR for the termination of the contract, as the release was not based on cricketing merit or injury.
Under standard professional protocols, a player released under such circumstances might be entitled to compensation or a formal dispute resolution process. But, Mustafizur opted for peace over protest.
During a press conference on Thursday, Mithun said: "The WCA was ready to support a formal protest or legal inquiry into the contract termination."
Based on this personal choice by the veteran pacer, CWAB officially dropped the protest idea.
The Controversy
The decision to release Mustafizur was prompted by intense political pressure and protests in India following reports of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. While KKR maintained the signing was based on "cricketing merit," the BCCI eventually intervened to ask for his removal to respect "national sentiment."
In retaliation to the pacer's release, the Bangladesh government has already suspended the telecast of the IPL in the country, and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reportedly approached the ICC to shift the venues of their T20 World Cup matches in India to Sri Lanka, over safety concerns.
Bangladesh Cricket Team
Kolkata Knight Riders
Mustafizur Rahman