Although news has spread that Mustafizur Rahman has been named in the Delhi Capitals squad at the last moment, his participation in the IPL is still uncertain. Neither the IPL, Delhi Capitals, nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet formally requested a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
According to the rules, a franchise must obtain an NOC from the player’s home board before signing a foreign cricketer. Since that process hasn’t begun, doubts have arisen about Mustafizur’s participation in this season’s remaining matches. Shahriar Nafees, BCB’s Manager of Cricket Operations, told Samakal, “We haven’t received any NOC request from Mustafizur or on his behalf. If we receive one, we will review it and make a decision accordingly.”
Though Delhi Capitals announced that they had signed Mustafizur for ₹6 crore, his participation still hinges on receiving clearance from the BCB. So, it’s fair to say that “The Fizz’s” fate in this IPL season remains up in the air.
Meanwhile, the remainder of the IPL resumes on May 17, with Delhi playing their first match on May 18 against Gujarat Titans. However, on May 17, Bangladesh is scheduled to play the UAE in a T20I series — and Mustafizur is part of that squad. This means he won’t be available for the IPL until after the UAE series. If he does get the NOC, he will likely miss the Pakistan series as well.
Earlier, Delhi Capitals signed Mustafizur as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, who withdrew from the tournament due to personal reasons. This deal is only valid for the remainder of this season, and the franchise will not retain Mustafizur for the next IPL edition.
Mustafizur has had a notable IPL career. Since debuting with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, he has played for Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and most recently for Chennai Super Kings in 2024.
In his IPL career, the left-arm pacer has taken 61 wickets in 57 matches. He has also been a consistent performer for Bangladesh in T20 internationals, with 132 wickets in 106 matches.
Despite signing a lucrative deal, Mustafizur’s participation in this year’s IPL ultimately depends on whether the BCB grants him the clearance. Now, all eyes are on whether that approval will come in time.
