Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has been denied a No-Objection Certificate by his country’s cricket board for participating in the upcoming 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, to be held in the United Arab Emirates from September 19 to November 8.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Bangladesh Cricket Board denied Rahman an NOC to compete in IPL 2020 because their national team will tour Sri Lanka in October and November this year.
The report stated that two-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders were keen to replace the injured Harry Gurney with Rahman.
“There was an offer from the IPL but since we have a tour coming up, we didn’t give him the NOC. He is an important cricketer for us and this upcoming series is also important,” ESPNCricinfo quoted BCB director Akram Khan as saying to bdnews24.com.
Rahman last played in the IPL in 2018 for four-time champions Mumbai Indians. The 25-year-old had played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and 2017, with the franchise bagging the title in 2016.
The left-arm pacer has not been a part of Bangladesh’s Test squad since March 2019. He has featured in white-ball cricket though, and returned with 20 wickets at the 2019 ODI World Cup in England.