Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman will not be able to participate in the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to give him a No Objection Certificate.
His name does not feature in the list of eight Bangladeshi players in the upcoming IPL auction, the ninth being Shakib Al Hasan who has been retained by the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The BCB’s decision is prompted by fitness concerns with an eye on the World Cup later in the year. The board had decided to not allow him to take part in foreign-based T20 leagues back in June, according to a report by Cricbuzz.
Fizz, as he is popularly known, was instrumental in the Sunrisers winning the IPL back in 2016 as he took 17 wickets in 16 games. However, he has not been able to replicate that in the two years since due to fitness issues.
He played only one match in 2017 due to injury and in 2018, representing the Mumbai Indians, played seven matches. He was ruled out of the tournament after he suffered a hairline fracture.
Other than Shakib, the eight players to receive an NCO to play in IPL 2019 are Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, Sabbir Rahman, Imrul Kayes, Abu Hider, Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan.