Mustafizur Rahman In IPL 2026: Now Devkinandan Thakur Urges 'Mr KKR' Shah Rukh Khan To Drop Bangladesh Star

Add as a preferred source on Google

New Delhi, Dec 31: The controversy surrounding the inclusion of a Bangladeshi cricketer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has intensified after religious leader and kathavachak Devkinandan Thakur issued a strong public message directed at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan.

Thakur appealed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to bar Bangladeshi players from participating in the IPL, citing concerns over alleged violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. His remarks came days after KKR signed Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction.

Speaking during a religious discourse, Thakur questioned why a Bangladeshi player was allowed into the league and claimed that Hindu sentiments were being repeatedly ignored. He asserted that only one Bangladeshi cricketer had been picked in the IPL auction and said that decision had hurt religious sentiments.

Addressing Shah Rukh Khan directly, Thakur said that if KKR truly respected India and Hindu society, the franchise should immediately remove the Bangladeshi player from its squad. He warned that failure to do so would force him and others to call for a boycott of the team.

Thakur also referenced the player's auction price, questioning where the money would ultimately go, and alleged that financial links with Bangladesh should be reconsidered in the current political and social climate. In a stern warning to the franchise, he said that public support had made KKR successful and that the same public could withdraw its backing if demands were ignored.

The comments have sparked widespread debate on social media, with opinions sharply divided. While some users echoed Thakur's sentiments, others criticised the mixing of sport with political and religious issues.

Neither Shah Rukh Khan nor the Kolkata Knight Riders management have issued an official response so far. The BCCI has also remained silent on the matter, and there has been no indication that Mustafizur Rahman's IPL participation is under review.

Earlier, religious leaders in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) also criticised KKR and BCCI over inclusion of Bangladesh players in IPL 2026 and demanded the franchise as well as the board to drop the left-arm pacer from the 19th edition of the cash-rich league, starting March 26.

At present, the issue remains confined to public discourse, but the remarks have once again highlighted how off-field controversies can overshadow cricketing decisions in the IPL.