The 30-year-old left-arm pacer was bought by three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Tuesday’s mini-auction for a record INR 9.20 crore (Tk 12.36 crore), making it the highest price ever paid for a Bangladeshi cricketer in the tournament.
New Zealand are set to arrive in Bangladesh in mid-April for three ODIs and three T20Is, while the IPL is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 31.
“He will return for eight days to play the ODI series,” Fahim said, adding that the move was made with Bangladesh’s chances of direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind.
“Regarding playing the ODIs with him, we are not willing to make the slightest compromise on our qualification for the World Cup. Since we are not in a comfortable position, this decision was taken,” he added.