Mustafizur among seven Bangladesh players to register for IPL 2027 auction; will teams show interest?

Despite the political uncertainties surrounding India-Bangladesh relations, seven players from the neighbouring country, including Mustafizur Rahman, have registered for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 mini-auction, to be held in Goa on December 16.

Sportstar understands that Mustafizur, Nahid Rana, Rishad Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Towhid Hridoy, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam are among the Bangladesh players who have entered the auction pool, while a few others are on the verge of completing the formalities.

Their registrations come after Mustafizur was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) last season following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid worsening relations between the two countries. The tensions eventually culminated in Bangladesh withdrawing from the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

While BCCI sources remained tight-lipped on the participation of Bangladesh players, indicating that the final call on recruitment rests with the franchises, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has described the registration process as routine.

“It is a regular procedure for the IPL auction. Like every time, this year too, the BCCI has sent us a link, inviting the players to register for the tournament. Since the cut-off is November 23, eight of our players have sent in their registrations, while a few others, too, are considering,” BCB cricket operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees Ahmed told Sportstar.

The BCB is hopeful that some franchises will show interest in its players.

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“The relationship between the two boards has always been very good and cordial, and we have always maintained that. Yes, there was a hiccup last year, but that’s all in the past now. We now share a very good relationship with the BCCI and both the boards want to play good cricket and develop more talents,” Nafees, a former international cricketer, added.

However, franchises are likely to tread cautiously. Several team officials indicated that, although the BCCI has not issued any formal directive on the participation of Bangladesh cricketers, they would prefer to wait for further clarity before making any decisions. The uncertainty surrounding the players’ availability could make franchises wary of investing in them, particularly after last year’s episode involving Mustafizur.

With BCCI officials and BCB president Tamim Iqbal currently in Bali for the ICC meeting, the issue could also come up for discussion on the sidelines of the gathering.

Mustafizur’s presence in the auction pool is particularly significant given how his previous IPL stint unravelled. Kolkata Knight Riders had secured the Bangladesh pacer’s services for a record Rs. 9.20 crore at last year’s auction, only for the BCCI to direct the franchise to release him weeks later, citing ‘recent developments’ amid escalating political tensions between the two countries.

KKR complied with the directive and was allowed to sign a replacement. Mustafizur’s return to the auction pool now puts the spotlight on whether franchises will be willing to revisit the Bangladesh market or steer clear of it until the BCCI provides greater clarity.

Published on Nov 12, 2026