Mustafizur unfazed by BCCI-BCB saga

Mustafizur Rahman appears unaffected by the controversy surrounding his exclusion from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad on the BCCI's advice, which sparked discussions after the Bangladesh Cricket Board cited security concerns for not traveling to India for the T20 World Cup.

Currently playing for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League, Mustafizur delivered a match-winning performance against Dhaka Capitals on January 4. He conceded only two runs in the 18th over, removed Shamim Hossain, and defended 10 runs in the final over to secure a five-run victory.

This standout display came just a day after the BCCI instructed KKR to remove him from their squad. Financially, Mustafizur stands to lose significantly, having been bought for INR 9.2 crore—the highest ever for a Bangladeshi player in IPL auction history.

Mohammad Ashraful, assistant coach of Rangpur Riders, stated, "He is completely chill. He is not worried at all about all the off-field talk—whether it's BCB, India, BPL or ICC. Right now he is focused on playing for Rangpur Riders and after this whatever assignment comes next, he will focus on that. He is a person of a different level."

Ashraful, who also serves as Bangladesh's batting coach, praised Mustafizur's recent form: "The way we won the last match against Dhaka was an outstanding victory. And the way Mustafizur bowled those last two overs—I think he is a world champion for this format, that's how important he is."

Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur's national teammate playing for Dhaka Capitals, shared a similar observation. After their match, Saifuddin noted, "We were having dinner together and I called him to sit with me. We thought he would be disappointed but that is hardly the case. He was hearing music and seemed to be relaxed like the way he always does."

Bangladesh senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin added, "I know him for quite some time and it was no surprise that he took everything in stride with a smile on his face, considering that is his biggest strength. You will not see him making headlines with his words or emotions."