IPL Chairman speak out on Mustafizur’s drop out from 19th edition

IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal has, after three months, spoken out on the exclusion of Bangladesh’s left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Dhumal described the decision as “unfortunate.”

The directive to exclude Mustafizur from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) came from the BCCI following threats from extremist groups in India.

The decision had ripple effects on Bangladeshi cricket, including a temporary suspension of IPL broadcasts and a move by the interim Bangladeshi government to withhold the T20 World Cup team.

Pakistan was also indirectly affected, contributing to wider disruptions in the tournament.

Mustafizur had been purchased by KKR for ₹9.2 crore, significantly above his base price of ₹2 crore, after a competitive bidding battle with Chennai.

When asked about the omission of such a high-profile player, Dhumal said, “Sometimes the way things unfold, it’s unfortunate. I consider it an unfortunate situation.”

He added that the government does not interfere in day-to-day cricket operations but primarily plays a supportive role.

At the time, BCCI Secretary Debasish Saikia confirmed that officials had directed KKR to drop Mustafizur, though most board members were reportedly unaware of the decision beforehand.

Dhumal expressed hope that such situations would not recur in the future.