Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by KKR ahead of IPL 2026 after political backlash, voiding his INR 9.2 crore deal. As the exit was pre-season and not injury-related, IPL rules offer no payout, leaving legal action as his only route.
The Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman will miss the entire season of the IPL 2026 after he was released by Shah Rukh Khan's co-owned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as per the directive by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after severe criticism and backlash in India. Rahman was acquired by INR 9.2 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player.
However, Rahman’s signing by KKR was met with severe criticism and backlash amid the ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh following targeted attacks on minority communities, particularly Hindus, in the neighbouring nation, which led to widespread calls from fans and media questioning his participation in the IPL.
The demise of political leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who played a pivotal role in the ouster of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina in the July 2024 uprising, caused widespread outrage and civil unrest across the country, with reports of targeted attacks on minority communities highlighting diplomatic and religious tensions between India and Bangladesh.
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As Mustafizur Rahman was released by KKR after public criticism and backlash, the question is whether the Bangladesh pacer will be compensated by the franchise for his full contract value, after he was let go before the start of the PL 2026.
What Does the IPL Compensation Policy Say?
According to the report by the Press Trust of India (PTI), every player participating in the IPL is insured, and thus, the compensation policy does not provide any payout to the players. The report suggested that the overseas players will receive 50% of the insured amount from the franchises in case of injury, while centrally–contracted Indian players get paid by the BCCI.
“The salaries of all IPL players are insured. For foreign international players, normally the franchise pays if he is injured after joining the camp or during the course of the tournament,” an IPL source told PTI.
“The salaries of all IPL players are insured. For foreign international players, normally the franchise pays if he is injured after joining the camp or during the course of the tournament,” he added.
In the past IPL seasons, if foreign players got injured before the tournament and were unable to join the camps, the franchises did not pay them salaries. However, if an overseas player is injured during the camp or season and is ruled out, the franchise pays a portion of a season's salary through insurance.
In the case of injured Indian players, centrally-contracted cricketers are compensated by BCCI, covering a portion or all of their salary through an insurance policy. In some cases, if the injury occurs during the IPL season, the compensation is shared between the BCCI and the franchise.
Will Mustafizur Rahman be Compensated by KKR?
In Mustafizur Rahman’s case, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise is not allowed to pay any compensation to Bangladesh, as he was released from the squad before the start of the IPL 2026 and not due to injury, meaning the standard insurance or payout clauses do not apply. However, Rahman will have to pursue a legal route to seek compensation for the full contract value.
“In case of an insurance claim, this current situation isn't covered, so KKR are under no official obligation to pay a penny,” an IPL source said.
“It is unfortunate, but Mustafizur doesn't have much option but to take a legal route, and that too IPL comes under Indian law jurisdiction. No overseas cricketer would want to go through this or take the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) route," the source added.
Recently, Mustazafir Rahman’s non-objection certificate was revoked by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, further weakening his chances of receiving any payout from the Kolkata Knight Riders. That means, KKR’s acquisition of Mustafizur for INR 9.2 crore will effectively result in a financial loss for the Bangladesh pacer, as neither the franchise nor the IPL’s insurance policy covers pre-season releases for non-injury reasons.
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.
