Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman might miss a small portion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season due to possible international commitments, causing slight uncertainty over his availability for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
According to reports, sources within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have indicated that Mustafizur may not be available between April 16 and April 23, a period that could coincide with Bangladesh’s proposed home series against New Zealand. The series is expected to include both ODI and T20I matches, although the final schedule is yet to be officially confirmed.
Why Mustafizur May Not Play Entire IPL 2026?
The IPL 2026 season is scheduled to run from late March through the end of May, allowing partial participation by overseas players with national
duties during this period. In Mustafizur’s case, there is optimism that he could still feature in most of the tournament. The BCB is reportedly considering issuing a flexible No-Objection Certificate (NOC), which would permit the left-arm pacer to skip the ODI leg of the New Zealand series while remaining available for the T20Is. Such an arrangement could enable him to return to India quickly and rejoin KKR for the latter stages of the league.
At the IPL 2026 auction, KKR secured the services of the experienced seamer for a substantial Rs 9.20 crore, making him the most expensive Bangladeshi player ever bought at an IPL auction. With this signing, Mustafizur becomes the fourth player from Bangladesh to represent the franchise, following Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, and Litton Das.
Only Cricketer From Bangladesh
Interestingly, Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi cricketer picked by any franchise at this year’s auction. Several other Bangladesh players, including Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, and Rishad Hossain, were part of the auction pool but either went unsold or were not called up for bidding. This further underscored Mustafizur’s reputation as a proven T20 specialist, particularly renowned for his cutters and effectiveness at the death.
He entered the auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore and immediately sparked a bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings. CSK and DC, who have both previously benefited from his services, pushed hard in the early stages as the price crossed Rs 5 crore. However, the dynamics changed dramatically once KKR joined the contest. A fierce back-and-forth ensued, with the bid climbing past Rs 7 crore. After CSK made one final attempt near the Rs 9 crore mark, KKR held their nerve and sealed the deal at Rs 9.20 crore.
Mustafizur’s IPL journey dates back to 2016, when he made history by becoming the first overseas player to win the Emerging Player award while also lifting the title. Since then, he has played for five different franchises, claiming 65 wickets in 60 matches. If available for most of IPL 2026, KKR will be hoping his experience and variations add significant firepower to an already strong bowling attack.
