Mustafizur Rahman ready to skip IPL 2021 for national duty

Mustafizur Rahman, 25, was bought by the Rajasthan Royals franchise at his base price of Rs 1 crore in the 2021 IPL auction last week. According to Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) cricket operation chairman Akram Khan, the left-arm pacer will be given a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in BCCI’s flagship event is he applies for it.

Earlier, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was given permission, albeit reluctantly, by BCB to skip the home Test series against Sri Lanka in April to be able to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

However, Mustafizur has said that national duty will be his priority over playing in the 14th edition of the marquee T20 league and guaranteed that he will available for selection for the home Tests. The pacer will only apply for a NOC if he is not picked up in the Test side.

"I will do what BCB asks me to do. If they



keep me in the Test squad (for the tour of Sri Lanka) then I will play Tests and if they (BCB) don't keep me in Test then they know what I should do,'' Mustafizur told reporters on Tuesday.

"My first priority is to play for my country and if I am picked in the Test series against Sri Lanka, I will naturally play. If I am not picked then BCB will tell me that I am not included. At that point, if I am given NOC to play in the IPL then I will play but patriotism comes first for me."

While the BCB had earlier denied NOC to the southpaw stating that Bangladesh players are allowed to take part in only two franchise-based T20 tournaments annually, the board has now clarified that they won't impose anyone to play for their national team after the Shakib incident.

Mustafizur is currently a part of the white-ball squad that’s scheduled to leave for New Zealand on Tuesday.