IPL governing council chair Arun Dhumal has suggested that Bangladeshi players won’t face the problem that Mustafizur Rahman did ahead of IPL 2026. Dhumal called it ‘unfortunate’ and said he was sure ‘good sense will prevail’ and the incident won’t be repeated in the future.
Rahman, a left-arm pacer, was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs. 9 crore in the auction. With India facing an anti-Bangladesh sentiment at the time, the BCCI told KKR to release Rahman, without citing any particular reason. It snowballed into a much larger issue, culminating in Bangladesh refusing to travel to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup and the ICC replacing the team with Scotland.
Rahman, in turn, opted to give his time to the Pakistan Super League.
“It is unfortunate,
I would say, the way things unfold at times,” Dhumal told Financial Times. “I do not think the government has any interest or any role to play in running cricket day to day. The government is supportive of cricket at large. But, yes, sometimes events happen around us and decisions follow. I am sure good sense will prevail and that this will not be the case going forward.”
Asked if the BCCI ‘pressured’ KKR, Dhumal refused to comment: “I would only say it was unfortunate. Beyond that, I do not have much knowledge.”
Are cricket and politics related?
Dhumal also spoke about the much-talked-about conjunction of cricket and politics.
He said that sport should ideally remain separate from politics, as political situations are constantly changing. He noted that circumstances can shift significantly over time due to elections, external pressures, and global events.
As administrators, their priority is to focus on the larger picture and the interests of cricket rather than getting involved in political matters. However, he acknowledged that they operate within a broader system, and any decision taken by the government is final, as it is based on a more comprehensive perspective. Ultimately, he emphasized that their primary responsibility is to safeguard the interests of the game.
