A significant update has emerged on the controversy surrounding Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s unexpected release from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Rahman was reportedly offered the chance to take action against the Knight Riders over his forced exit from the squad, that too for non-sporting reasons but the left-arm seamer decided to bury the hatchet. Mohammad Mithun, the President of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), has revealed that a potential legal or administrative battle against the IPL franchise was contemplated but was dropped at Rahman’s insistence.
The controversy erupted earlier this month after the BCCI instructed KKR to release Mustafizur from his Rs 9.20 crore contract for the 2026 season, citing “recent developments” and growing geopolitical tensions between India and Bangladesh.
According to Mithun, the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA)-the global body for players’ unions had closely monitored the situation. The WCA informed CWAB that there were grounds to take action against KKR for the termination of the contract, as the release was not based on cricketing merit or injury.
Under standard professional protocols, a player released under such circumstances might be entitled to compensation or a formal dispute resolution process. But, Mustafizur opted for peace over protest.