So here’s the deal with Bangladeshi representation in IPL 2026. Just one guy made the cut this time around surprisingly. Mustafizur Rahman is flying solo as Bangladesh’s only player this season. KKR threw Rs 9.20 crore at him during the Abu Dhabi auction.
Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL Journey
Mustafizur broke into the IPL back in 2016 when nobody knew him. Guess what? He bagged the Emerging Player trophy in his debut season itself. That award turned him into an overnight sensation among cricket fans everywhere. Since then, the guy has bounced around between different teams constantly.
Sunrisers Hyderabad gave him his first IPL home initially years ago. Then, the Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and CSK all took turns with him. Last year Delhi Capitals picked him up after someone got injured. KKR thinks he’s their missing puzzle piece for IPL 2026 now.
Let’s talk numbers because they’re pretty insane for this bowler. He’s snatched 387 wickets in 308 T20 games around the globe. That 7.43 economy. No wonder IPL 2026 teams were fighting over him at the auction.
Why Only One Bangladeshi Player?
Other Bangladeshi players didn’t attract big bids at the IPL 2026 auction unfortunately. Teams prefer picking players with proven IPL track records these days.
Mustafizur’s experience across multiple seasons helped him stand out clearly. His variations and death bowling skills are perfect for the T20 format.
Bangladesh cricket has produced many talented players over recent years definitely. But IPL teams are extremely picky about their foreign player slots.
Each franchise gets only four overseas spots in their playing eleven. So they choose players who can deliver match-winning performances consistently.
Controversy Around the Signing
KKR’s purchase sparked huge backlash on social media platforms immediately after the auction. People started calling for boycotts of the franchise over this decision.
Rising tensions between India and Bangladesh created this painful case. Recent incidents in Bangladesh involving Hindu minorities fueled these angry reactions.
Twitter basically turned into a war zone over this whole thing. People were urging that the BCCI kick out every single Bangladeshi player from IPL 2026. Tons of angry posts targeted KKR for spending crores on Mustafizur specifically.
Anti-Hindu feelings in Bangladesh became the hot topic overnight across platforms. Protests even erupted outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi over everything that was happening.
