Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman is set to miss a brief portion of IPL 2026 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed his availability for an eight-day window during the tournament to play in the ODI series against New Zealand.
The left-arm seamer, who was recently picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a massive ₹9.20 crore at the IPL mini-auction, has been issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the entire league, with a short break for national duty.
BCB officials revealed that Mustafizur’s temporary return is part of Bangladesh’s broader strategy to improve their ODI rankings and secure direct qualification for the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Bangladesh is currently placed 10th in the ICC ODI rankings and has managed just three wins from nine ODIs in 2025, making the upcoming New Zealand series extremely crucial.
BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin confirmed that Mustafizur will return for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which is expected to be played in April. “We have given Mustafizur an NOC for the entire IPL.
He will only return for eight days to play the ODI series,” Nazmul said, adding that the competitive environment of the IPL will help the pacer perform better on his return.
The New Zealand series holds significant importance as only the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings earn direct qualification for the World Cup. Bangladesh is desperate to climb up the rankings, and Mustafizur’s presence is seen as vital to strengthening the bowling attack.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has also proposed a revised schedule for Pakistan’s tour of Bangladesh. The series, consisting of two Tests and three ODIs, is expected to be split around the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in March.
The ODIs are likely to be played before the PSL, while the Test matches could be pushed to May. Notably, the T20Is originally scheduled for the tour have been dropped, as both teams already played a T20I series earlier this year.
For Kolkata Knight Riders, Mustafizur’s brief absence could be a concern, especially after investing heavily in the Bangladeshi pacer.
However, KKR still boasts a formidable bowling lineup featuring Matheesha Pathirana, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Sunil Narine. Mustafizur was signed as a key replacement for Mitchell Starc, who played a pivotal role in KKR’s IPL 2024 title-winning campaign.
Despite missing a few matches, Mustafizur Rahman is expected to return to the IPL fully fit and match-ready after the New Zealand series, even as SRK faces criticism over player management decisions.
The decision reflects Bangladesh’s willingness to take calculated risks for long-term gains, something that has benefited the team in the past following Mustafizur’s IPL stints.
