Indian Premier League (IPL), since its inception, has been a breeding ground for players — domestic and international; however, in exceptional cases, cricketers have been barred from the competition. There exists a blanket ban on Pakistan-based players participating due to the BCCI's directive; Bangladesh cricketers might face a similar scenario soon, with Mustafizur Rahman being released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2026 due to the BCCI's directive. KKR Release Mustafizur Rahman From IPL 2026 Squad After BCCI Directive Amidst Diplomatic Tensions.

KKR purchased Rahman in the IPL 2026 auction for INR 9.20 crore after the BCCI short-listed the player for the bidding event in Saudi Arabia last month. Rahman has been a constant in IPL, making 60 appearances for five franchises between 2016 and 2025. Rahman's exit from KKR ends Bangladesh's representation in the upcoming Indian Premier League tournament. In this article, we explain why Bangladesh players will not feature in IPL 2026.

Why IPL 2026 Will Feature No Bangladesh Player?

The geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh have been deteriorating, with the communal violence against Hindus rising in the neighboring country. Coupled with domestic pressure from various political organisations, the BCCI were forced to ask KKR to release the star pacer, who was the only Bangladesh player picked during IPL 2026 auction.  ‘Release Mustafizur Rahman’ BCCI Directs KKR to Drop Bangladesh Pacer from Squad for IPL 2026 Amidst Diplomatic Tensions.

As many as seven Bangladesh national cricket team players put up their names for IPL 2026 auction, with only two, Rahman and Taskin Ahmed, getting shortlisted for the event. While Ahmed remained unsold, Rahman found a buyer in KKR, who have a history of picking up Bangladesh players, most famous being Shakib Al-Hasan.

Bangladesh’s participation in IPL 2026 was already minimal due to a lack of bidders at the auction; however, the BCCI’s directive to release Rahman has now completely removed the sole representation from the upcoming season.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 03, 2026 02:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).