Tabith Awal, president of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), has voiced strong support for Mustafizur Rahman after the pacer was controversially dropped from the Indian Premier League squad of Kolkata Knight Riders.
Awal described the decision as politically motivated and expressed deep disappointment. “I am extremely disappointed to learn that Kolkata Knight Riders, despite selecting Mustafizur Rahman for their squad, have dropped him from IPL 2026 purely due to political pressure,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
He highlighted Mustafizur’s talent and professionalism, calling him a world-class athlete who earned his place through performance. “Targeting a player solely because of his nationality is an injustice and an extreme display of intolerance that has no place in a gentleman’s game like cricket,” Awal said.
Awal also appealed to Indian authorities and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to keep sport separate from politics. “Sport has the power to unite people beyond divisions. Let it be a medium for mutual understanding and respect, not a tool for division,” he added.
He concluded his statement with words of encouragement for the pacer. “Stay strong Mustafizur. The entire nation is with you today,” Awal said, reinforcing Bangladesh’s solidarity with the cricketer.
