Delhi Capitals Signs Mustafizur Rahman, But BCCI NOC Remains A Question Mark
The BCB CEO stated that the BCCI has not been in communication regarding Mustafizur’s participation, the pacer heading to the UAE for international duty.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] May 15: Question marks over Bangladesh fast-bowler Mustafizur Rahman’s participation in the revised last phase of IPL 2025. Just hours after Mustafizur was signed by Delhi Capitals (DC) as a replacement player for Jake Fraser-McGurk, the left-arm fast bowler flew to the UAE with the Bangladesh squad. The Bangladesh Cricket Board reportedly received no communication from BCCI to provide an NOC (no objection certificate) to Mustafizur to play in IPL 2025.
DC announced Mustafizur as the player to replace Fraser-McGurk, returning to the franchise he represented a couple of years ago. However, the BCB confirmed that neither the IPL nor the player himself have applied for an NOC. The Bangladesh team flew out to the UAE for two T20I series against the UAE and Pakistan, both of which clash with the IPL.
“Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”
However, Mustafizur did take to social media with a confounding post for IPL fans, soon after being announced as the replacement player. On an X post, the ‘Fizz’ shared a picture of him in Bangladesh travel gear in a flight, captioning the image: “Heading to UAE to play against them. Keep me in your prayers.” Bangladesh play two matches against UAE on May 17 and 19, before a five-match series against Pakistan that will begin on May 25 and end on June 3, the day of the revised IPL 2025 final.
With Mustafizur looking likely to opt to play for his national team, it remains unclear how this affects DC’s season. Fraser-McGurk opted out of the remainder of IPL 2025, reportedly being the most ‘shaken’ of the visiting players to have been involved in the evacuation from Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium.
Delhi are also set to lose fast-bowler Mitchell Starc, and the choice to opt for Mustafizur might have been a pre-emptive decision to provide cover in their pace bowling department should they lose another Australian star. This roster movement comes at an inconvenient time for DC from a tournament perspective, as they sit in fifth place in the table, right on the cusp of the playoffs.
DC’s IPL campaign will restart with a crucial clash against Gujarat Titans, in Delhi, on Sunday, May 18.
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