Agency :
Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has received the maximum possible no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, allowing him to participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins in March next year.
The 30-year-old left-arm pacer was bought by three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Tuesday’s mini-auction for a record INR 9.20 crore (Tk 12.36 crore), making it the highest price ever paid for a Bangladeshi cricketer in the tournament.
After signing Mustafizur, Kolkata Knight Riders released a video message on their X handle. Mustafiz said, ‘Hi KKR fans. I am Mustafizur Rahman. I am very happy, delighted to be a part of KKR. See you soon.’
Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza wrote in a post on Facebook, “Mustafiz will play for Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 9.2 crore this time, which is TH 12.37 crore in Bangladeshi taka. Congratulations, Fizz. There is nothing surprising in his current form., he will do something great, Inshallah.”
Mustafizur is yet to apply for the NOC, but he has been informed that he can feature in the IPL for the entire period except for a specific part of the New Zealand series.
Bangladesh are set to play Pakistan in the third week of March, although the series is likely to be rescheduled due to the Pakistan Super League.
This will be followed by a tour of New Zealand in April. While the final itinerary is yet to be confirmed, the tour is expected to include three ODIs and three T20Is and, according to the FTP calendar, will take place during the third and fourth weeks of April.
The IPL season is scheduled to start on March 26 and conclude with the final on May 31.
