The Impressive TimesNew Delhi : A day of dramatic developments unfolded around Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman after the Delhi Capitals (DC) officially announced his signing on Wednesday, May 14, as a replacement for Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who withdrew from the Indian Premier League (IPL) citing personal reasons. The franchise reportedly secured Mustafizur’s services for a notable ₹6 crore—an unusually high sum for a mid-season replacement player, especially one expected to feature in only a handful of matches.
However, within hours, the situation took a surprising turn.
Mustafizur Rahman posted a picture on social media of himself travelling to the United Arab Emirates, where Bangladesh is scheduled to play a two-match T20I series. The series, set to conclude on May 19, overlaps with the IPL playoffs beginning May 21, raising immediate questions over the player’s availability and communication between involved cricketing bodies.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) soon clarified its position. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury stated: “Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule. We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”
The BCB has so far denied Mustafizur a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to join DC, asserting that neither the IPL nor the franchise initiated any formal request. The pacer’s silence on the matter has further complicated the scenario, as national commitments take precedence ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.
Delhi Capitals have yet to make a public statement on the matter.
Sources indicate that DC intended Mustafizur to fill in for Mitchell Starc, who is expected to miss the latter stages of the tournament. Additionally, uncertainty looms over the availability of South African players Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs. While Stubbs has been named in South Africa’s World Test Championship final squad, Cricket South Africa had earlier hinted at denying NOCs beyond May 25.
Behind the scenes, the BCCI and IPL franchises are reportedly in negotiations with Cricket South Africa to ensure the availability of key players, given the business ties through SA20, where six IPL franchises hold ownership.
No Comments: