Shashi Tharoor Criticizes Indian Authorities Over Exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman from IPL

Senior Indian Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has strongly criticized Indian authorities over the exclusion of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying the controversy has unnecessarily strained relations between the two countries.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tharoor wrote, “This is hardly surprising. We have brought this embarrassing situation upon ourselves.”

Calling the decision to drop Mustafizur “unnecessary and unreasonable,” Tharoor told The Indian Express that Bangladesh should not be equated with Pakistan.

“Bangladesh is not Pakistan. It is not sending terrorists across the border. The situations are not comparable at all,” he said. “Our relationship with Bangladesh is fundamentally different from our relationship with Pakistan. The level of dialogue and diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh cannot be placed in the same equation.”

Record IPL Contract, Followed by Controversy

Mustafizur was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹9.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction—making it the highest-ever IPL contract for a Bangladeshi cricketer.

However, controversy surrounding his participation had been brewing in Indian media in recent weeks.

On December 18, garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and burned to death in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, following allegations of religious blasphemy. The incident, along with reports of attacks on religious minorities in Bangladesh, prompted sections of Indian political parties and extremist religious groups to question Mustafizur’s participation in the IPL.

BCCI Directive and KKR’s Decision

Amid threats from extremist groups, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said on Saturday that the board had instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Mustafizur from the squad. KKR later officially announced the exclusion of the left-arm pacer.

World Cup Fallout and Bangladesh’s Response

The 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh are set to begin their campaign on February 7 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata against West Indies, with their next two group matches also scheduled at the same venue. Their final group match is slated to take place at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

However, following Mustafizur’s exclusion and the resulting diplomatic tension, Bangladesh has announced it will not send its team to India for the tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally written to the ICC requesting that Bangladesh’s matches be shifted to Sri Lanka.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the BCB said, “The Board has decided that, under the current circumstances, the Bangladesh national team will not travel to India to participate in the tournament.”

The development has raised fresh concerns over the smooth conduct of the upcoming T20 World Cup and highlighted growing political sensitivities affecting regional cricketing ties.