IPL Auction Rules: Can KKR Recover the ₹9.20 Crore Paid for Mustafizur Rahman?.
In the IPL 2026 auction, Mustafizur Rahman was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 9.20 crore. It is anticipated that the franchise will receive a complete refund, allowing them to purchase a replacement without having to make any compromises.
Ankush Pandey
Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are in an odd scenario due to the BCCI's abrupt order to release Mustafizur Rahman. The team now faces the possibility of losing their star international specialist before he has even bowled a single delivery in the upcoming season after outbidding Chennai Super Kings in a high-stakes battle to get the Bangladeshi bowler for Rs 9.20 crore.
A franchise's purse is normally "locked" after a player is acquired in accordance with standard IPL auction regulations. But Mustafizur's circumstance is different. The BCCI is requiring the release because of external security and diplomatic "developments," not because of a player's injury or withdrawal.
The league's operational standards state that the franchise is usually entitled to a complete restoration of the player's auction price to their available purse when the BCCI formally intervenes to remove a player from a team for non-cricketing grounds. As a result, KKR ought to have a credit of Rs 9.20 crore back into their budget.
Force Majeure
Mustafizur's condition falls under the category of "force majeure," a contractual provision that releases parties from performing their obligations in the event of an extreme circumstance that is out of their control.
Since Mustafizur withdrew from the IPL at the BCCI's request, the Knight Riders, as a party in this matter, are not required to meet their contractual commitments to him. However, it is still up for dispute how things may turn out if Mustafizur requests payment from KKR or the BCCI.
This "refund" is crucial since it preserves the franchise's initial financial strength and enables it to participate in an accelerated replacement draft or the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP). Without this credit, KKR wouldn't be able to sign a replacement of Mustafizur's calibre because they would be penalised for a circumstance in which they had no involvement.
This flexibility has already been suggested by the Board, as Secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed that the BCCI will permit KKR to look for a successor. He did not, however, specify when or how the money would be recovered.
As they look for a new overseas seamer, KKR will probably have exactly Rs 9.20 crore to work with. However, it will be difficult to find a player of Mustafizur's calibre who specialises in death overs.
