Kolkata, Jan 6: Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman is unlikely to receive any financial compensation after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders on the instructions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, despite having no role in the circumstances that led to the termination of his contract.
Insurance Clause Leaves Little Room for Relief
While the episode has triggered debate around player rights - especially as Mustafizur neither voluntarily withdrew from the league nor was accused of any wrongdoing - sources indicate that the existing insurance framework offers him little protection.
"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. Normally
up to 50 percent is paid from insurance. It is better for India's injured centrally contracted cricketers who normally get paid by the BCCI," an IPL source informed PTI on condition of anonymity.
Mustafizur's case, however, does not fall under standard insurance clauses, as his release was not due to injury or any cricketing reason linked to participation in the league.
No Contractual Obligation on KKR
"In case of an insurance claim, this current situation isn't covered, so KKR are under no official obligation to pay a penny. 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," the source said.
The option of approaching the Court of Arbitration for Sport is also seen as impractical. "No overseas cricketer would want to go through this or take the CAS route," the source added.
BCB Move Further Weakens Case
The situation has been compounded by the Bangladesh Cricket Board withdrawing Mustafizur's No Objection Certificate to participate in the IPL. In a retaliatory move, the BCB has also demanded that Bangladesh's ICC Men's T20 World Cup matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
According to the source, the broader geopolitical context acts as an additional deterrent. "The Indo-Bangladesh political scenario is far more fluid than Indo-Pak and can change next year, so why would one take the risk of legal recourse," the source said.
Player Set to Walk Away Empty-Handed
As things stand, despite being a high-value acquisition and having no disciplinary or professional breach against him, Mustafizur appears set to walk away empty-handed. The episode underlines the limitations of player protection mechanisms when decisions are driven by political and administrative considerations rather than purely sporting reasons.
