Former Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi refused to comment on Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL 2026 release. Political tensions over the move led the Bangladesh Cricket Board to seek a T20 World Cup 2026 venue change, which the ICC reportedly rejected.
Former Afghanistan captain and veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi lost his cool when he was asked about the ongoing controversy surroundingMustafizur Rahman’s release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which is likely to begin in March.
Mustafizur Rahman was bought by KKR for INR 9.2 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player. In fact, Rahman was the only Bangladeshi player to have been picked by a franchise at the auction. However, the KKR was forced to release the Bangladesh pacer from the squad as per the directive by the BCCI following severe criticism and backlash amid the heightened religious and political tensions between the two nations.
Bangladesh has been grappling with rising civil unrest since December 2025, following the demise of political leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose death triggered protests and country-wide violence, including attacks on minority communities, straining diplomatic and religious relations with India. The growing outrage in India led to intense scrutiny of KKR’s decision to pick Mustafizur Rahman at the IPL auction.
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Nabi Refuses to Comment on Mustafizur-IPL Row
Following Nakoli Express’ victory over Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match, Mohammad Nabi addressed the press conference, alongside his cricketer son Eisakhil. One of the reporters asked the veteran Afghanistan all-rounder about Mustafizur Rahman being released from the IPL.
Nabi fumed at the reporter’s query, stating that he had nothing to do with the Bangladesh pacer’s situation or the politics around the matter, adding that he did not want to get dragged into the controversy.
“What do I have to do with this? What do I have to do with Mustafizur? What do I have to do with politics?,” Nabi said at the press conference.
“I know he is a good bowler, all these things. But the way you are questioning, it's not related to me,” he added.
Mustafizur Rahman is currently playing for Rangpur Riders in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season, picking 13 wickets at an average of 16.30 and an economy rate of 7.06 in eight matches. After a sudden exit from IPL, Rahman is set to feature in the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League, with players’ auction set to take place at the end of January.
In his IPL career, Mustafizur played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, and Delhi Capitals, and picked 65 wickets in 60 matches.
Bangladesh ,Cricket, Seeks Venue Change for T20 World Cup 2026
After KKR released Mustafizur Rahman, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sought a change of venue for their group stage matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 from India to Sri Lanka. The marquee event will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with the 20 teams vying for the coveted trophy.
BCB wrote a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), seeking a shift of Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka, citing security concerns and players’ safety after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Mustafizur Rahman. However, the ICC reportedly rejected Bangladesh’s request for a venue change for their group matches of the T20 World Cup, insisting the team would need to play at the scheduled venues or risk forfeiting games.
Bangladesh Cricket has continued to press the governing body of cricket to relocate their T20 World Cup 2026 matches outside India due to security concerns and political tensions. However, the ICC has not yet officially responded to the BCB’s request, meaning that Bangladesh matches will take place in India as per the fixtures.
Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal urged the BCB to prioritise the future and interests of Bangladesh cricket, suggesting that the board should resolve the sensitive issue internally through dialogue rather than making public statements. However, Tamim Iqbal was labelled an ‘Indian agent’ by a BCB official for his statement, sparking angry reactions from the Bangladeshi players, including Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto.
