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Mustafizur 'Completely Chill' Amid IPL Row, Focused on BPL, Says Ashraful

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has revealed that fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman is not bothered by his release from the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Ashraful, now an assistant coach, stated Mustafizur is fully focused on his current BPL campaign with Rangpur Riders. This comes amid a tense standoff where the Bangladesh Cricket Board has requested the ICC relocate its 2026 T20 World Cup matches away from India. The board's request, citing security concerns, threatens to disrupt the tournament schedule for matches scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Key Points: Mustafizur Unfazed by IPL Release, Says Ashraful

  • Mustafizur released by KKR
  • Ashraful says pacer is unfazed
  • BCB requests ICC to move T20 WC matches
  • Tensions between BCB and BCCI
  • Bangladesh's 2026 World Cup schedule at risk
2 min read

Ashraful says Mustafizur is 'completely chill' about 'off-field talk' amid IPL row

Former captain Ashraful says pacer Mustafizur Rahman is focused on BPL, not IPL release or BCB-India tensions over T20 World Cup.

"He is completely chill. He is not worried at all about all the off-field talk. - Mohammad Ashraful"

Sylhet, Jan 6

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful revealed that pacer Mustafizur Rahman is unfazed by the recent developments surrounding his release from the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in the Indian Premier League. The fast bowler was released from KKR's squad following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India due to the tense situation between the two nations.

Now, Ashraful, who is the assistant coach of Rangpur Riders in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), said that Mustafizur isn't much bothered by the IPL's decision to release him, and is currently focused on his BPL assignment with the Riders.

"He (Mustafizur) is completely chill. He is not worried at all about all the off-field talk - whether it's BCB, India, BPL or ICC," Ashraful told reporters after the Riders' game against Chattogram Royals.

Ashraful, the current batting coach of Bangladesh, added, "Right now he is focused on playing for Rangpur Riders, and after this, whatever assignment comes next, he will focus on that. He is a person of a different level. If you talk about Mustafizur in the first two matches, his performances were a bit below par, but especially the way we won the last match against Dhaka was an outstanding victory. And the way Mustafizur bowled those last two overs - I think he is a world champion for this format, that's how important he is."

Following BCCI's decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) convened an emergency board meeting on Sunday afternoon and later said that they had formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate all their matches in the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup to venues outside India, citing safety and security concerns.

India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to co-host the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, with matches held across multiple venues in both countries.

Bangladesh's refusal to play in India threatens to disrupt the tournament schedule, given their itinerary, which includes matches against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, as well as against Nepal on February 17 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Respect to Mustafizur for keeping his focus on the game. That's the professional attitude we need. But BCB asking to move World Cup matches is a huge overreaction. It sets a bad precedent for international cricket.
A
Arjun K
As an Indian cricket fan, I feel bad for Fizz. He's an asset to any T20 team. The BCCI should have handled this better. We've hosted Pakistani players before during tensions. Why single out Bangladesh now? 🤔
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Priyanka N
Honestly, the BCB's security concern excuse feels weak. India has hosted countless international events safely. This seems more like a political tit-for-tat. Hope sense prevails before 2026.
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Vikram M
Mustafizur's attitude is commendable. Focus on your performance, let the boards handle the politics. But losing him from IPL is our loss too. The Eden Gardens crowd would have loved to see him bowl.
K
Karthik V
The whole situation is unfortunate. Cricket builds bridges. I remember the amazing atmosphere during India-Bangladesh matches. Hope this gets resolved soon. We need more cricket, not less.

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