NEW DEHLI – Despite setbacks on multiple international fronts, India on Saturday allowed politics to influence cricket, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly barred Bangladeshi players from participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The decision followed the demands from the extremist Hindutva party, Shiv Sena.
According to the media reports, the BCCI instructed the Kolkata Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, to remove Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board issued formal instructions to the franchise regarding the decision.
Mustafizur Rahman had been purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 9.2 crore during the IPL auction held last December—the highest amount ever paid to a Bangladeshi player in IPL history.
The move has sparked controversy, as extremist groups in India pressured the board to bar Bangladeshi players, raising concerns over the politicization of sports in the country.
