New Delhi, January 6: A political debate has erupted in the country after Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after a request from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Commenting on the issue, Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said politics should not interfere with sports and pointed out that Bangladesh has sent a strong message by appointing a Hindu cricketer as their captain for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
As per reports from NDTV, Tyagi said that while tensions in the Indian subcontinent cannot be ignored, sports should ideally remain separate from political issues. He referred to the situation between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, saying recent incidents have affected public sentiment. Tyagi also mentioned that anger in India over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh may have played a role in how the Mustafizur Rahman issue was handled.
He added that Bangladesh naming Litton Kumar Das as captain of the national team should make people rethink their views. According to him, appointing a minority player as captain sends a positive and strong message from Bangladesh.
Mustafizur was bought by KKR for Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. However, after the incidents of attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh, there were calls in India for the Bangladeshi pacer to be dropped from the IPL. The BCCI acted swiftly and asked KKR to release Rahman and the franchise agreed.
After the decision of Rahman's release, Bangladesh decided not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. Bangladesh were scheduled to play their matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. The tournament will be held in February and March which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Despite the controversy, Bangladesh has named Litton Kumar Das as their captain and Mustafizur Rahman has also been included in the squad.
