![Mustafizur Rahman[L] and Moeen Ali](https://cricfrenzy.com/public/storage/images/1-2026/cf_5H4m3a92.jpg)
The left-arm pacer, who has been a regular feature in the IPL in recent years, was set to represent Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming season.
However, due to political tensions between the two countries and various prevailing realities, Mustafizur will not be playing in the 2026 IPL.
English all-rounder Moeen Ali has expressed his disappointment over Mustafizur missing out on the tournament despite securing a lucrative deal.
Moeen, currently in Bangladesh to play for Sylhet Titans in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), said he was deeply saddened by what happened to Mustafizur. Speaking to the media, Moeen described the situation as unfortunate.
“I feel sorry for Mustafizur (for missing out on the IPL). I’m sure everyone feels sorry for him. It’s a very sad incident. As a person, Mustafizur is a great guy. After a long time, he got a good deal (an IPL contract), but what happened is really unfortunate,” Moeen said.
After Shakib Al Hasan, Mustafizur has emerged as Bangladesh’s biggest star in franchise cricket. He made his IPL debut in 2016 with Sunrisers Hyderabad and went on to impress with Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings. Over the past two years, he has also been a consistent performer for the national team.
Thanks to his impressive performances, Mustafizur earned a high-value contract in the IPL auction. Kolkata Knight Riders secured the Bangladeshi pacer for INR 9.2 crore after beating competition from Delhi and Chennai.
However, amid political tensions between Bangladesh and India, several religious groups, political parties and religious leaders in India reportedly threatened protests, raising communal issues and demanding Mustafizur’s exclusion from the league.
Under pressure from these movements and following instructions from the BCCI, Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur. As a result, despite being signed by a franchise, the left-arm pacer will miss out on playing in the world’s most popular franchise league.
