Mustafizur Rahman Joins Delhi Capitals as Replacement, But BCB Unaware of IPL Deal

n a surprising turn of events, Delhi Capitals have signed Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk for the remainder of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) claims it was unaware of the signing and has not issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Mustafiz to participate in the tournament.

Fraser-McGurk opted out of the IPL citing personal reasons, paving the way for Mustafizur’s INR 6 crore deal with the Delhi-based franchise. Yet, the left-arm seamer is currently scheduled to travel with the national team to the UAE, where Bangladesh will play a two-match T20I series against the hosts on May 17 and 19—coinciding with the resumption of the IPL.

According to BCB sources, no formal communication has been received from either Mustafizur or Delhi Capitals regarding his participation. In fact, the board has included him in the squad for the UAE series, and he is set to board a 7:30 PM flight on Wednesday with the second group of players leaving for Sharjah.

Following the UAE series, Bangladesh is also scheduled to play an important series against Pakistan, raising further questions about Mustafiz’s availability and commitment.

The situation leaves BCB in a dilemma over player management and communication, as confusion grows over the pacer’s immediate playing future.