NEW DELHI: Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has reacted to his release from the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).His reaction came before the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday resolved that the national team will not travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The decision was taken at a meeting held on Sunday afternoon.The matter was discussed against the backdrop of Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the IPL. BCB directors had earlier met online on Saturday night to discuss the issue.At that stage, most directors were not in favor of taking any strict step. However, following intervention from the Bangladesh government, the board reviewed its position and changed its decision.What BCB said“The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India,” the BCB said in an official release.“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” the statement added.The BCB has also requested that Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches be moved out of India. “In light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the event authority, to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India,” the board said.The decision followed Mustafizur Rahman’s release by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid rising diplomatic tension between India and Bangladesh.Reacting to the development, Mustafizur said, “If they release me, there’s nothing much I can do,” while speaking to BDCrictime.KKR had signed the 30-year-old left-arm pacer for Rs 9.20 crore at the players’ auction last month. His base price was Rs 2 crore, with Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals also involved in the bidding.The BCCI said KKR will be allowed to name a replacement player if required for the tournament, which is scheduled to start on March 26.India and Sri Lanka are the joint hosts of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. As per the schedule released so far, Bangladesh are set to play West Indies in Kolkata on February 7, the opening day of the tournament.Bangladesh’s remaining three group-stage matches are also scheduled to be held in Kolkata and Mumbai.Earlier on Sunday, the BCB announced a 15-member squad for the World Cup, naming Liton Das as captain.
