Mustafizur to miss out IPL despite two approaches

Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who had been awarded the best young player of IPL 2016, is all set to miss another chance of playing in the marquee franchise-based T20 league which is set to be played in the UAE this time, reports UNB.

The pacer revealed to the media that he had been approached from his former team Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders to play in this IPL. But the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) denied him a NOC due to his commitment for the national duty.

Bangladesh team will tour Sri Lanka later this month to play their first three-match Test series in six years. This series was initially scheduled to be played in July-August. But due to the Covid-19 situation, the involved boards had to change the timing. Now, the series is slated to be played from October 24, but the Tigers will reach the island nation in the last week of September.

However, BCB’s decision of not approving a NOC for Mustafizur came as a surprise because the head coach of Bangladesh national team, Russell Domingo, has earlier manifested that he is reluctant to include Mustafizur in the longer format for now. Domingo, instead, thinks the left-arm pacer is more effective in the limited-over cricket than the longer format of the game.

Mustafiuzr played in three different seasons of IPL and played a total of 24 matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians. He picked up 24 wickets with the best figures of taking three off 16 runs.

Mustafizur, along with the other cricketers, is now busy in the individual training programme. The board will soon host a residential training camp ahead of the Sri Lanka tour.