‘Don’t politicise cricket, Bangladesh is not Pakistan’ – Shashi Tharoor slams BCCI over Mustafizur Rahman’s KKR exit

The release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 season has triggered a major political-sporting controversy. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor recently accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of unnecessary politicisation of cricket. The fallout has now extended over the IPL, with Bangladesh reconsidering traveling to India for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India.

KKR released Rahman following a directive from the BCCI, citing recent developments amid deteriorating India-Bangladesh relations after reports of attacks on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Mustafizur, who was bought by KKR for INR 9.2 crore in the IPL 2026 auction, had been part of the BCCI-approved player pool. However, his selection drew backlash from political and religious groups in India, leading to intervention from the board.

Tharoor, chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, questioned the logic behind the decision, stating that a sportsperson should not be made a casualty of diplomatic tensions or social media outrage.

“So if a fellow was in the pool, why is KKR to blame for selecting somebody from that pool? So, the first question is that it makes no sense to object to the selection of somebody whom the BCCI has submitted to all the teams as an eligible player,” he said as quoted by NDTV.

Bangladesh has not been dispatching terrorists across the border: Shashi Tharoor

Tharoor said the BCCI’s decision made little cricketing sense. He pointed out that franchises selected players from a list curated by the BCCI itself, making it contradictory to object to KKR’s choice after the auction. Tharoor also warned against setting a dangerous model by equating Bangladesh with Pakistan.

“We have also tried to greet Tariq Rahman (chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and son of ex-PM Khaleda Zia), who many people see as a likely future Prime Minister after the elections. No, Bangladesh is not Pakistan. Bangladesh has not been dispatching terrorists across the border. It’s not a comparable situation at all," he added.

The controversy has now escalated to the international level. Following an emergency meeting, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wrote to the ICC expressing concerns over player safety in India. Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul has openly questioned whether the national team can feel secure playing in India when a contracted Bangladeshi cricketer was barred from the IPL. Bangladesh is reportedly considering requesting the relocation of its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, with Kolkata slated to host their opening fixtures.