Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have suffered a minor glitch before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. This is because their new player, Mustafizur Rahman, the fast bowler from Bangladesh, is unable to play during the first week of IPL due to an international engagement with his country. They had to shell out their highest bidding amount of ₹9.20 crores for Mustafizur during the Abu Dhabi Auction after beating Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals. These days, the left-handed bowler Mustafizur will have to leave for an international engagement with his country. BCB Confirms Mustafizur’s Eight-Day Return for ODI Series The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that Mustafizur has received a full season NOC for the IPL 2026, but he has to return home for eight days to play a three-match ODI series for Bangladesh against the New Zealand cricket team. This series is actually very crucial for the Bangladesh cricket team since they are trying to enter the top eight rankings in the ICC ODI rankings to have direct qualification for the ODI World cup 2027. "The decision was final," BCB Cricket Operations Chairman Nazmul Abedin said. He also explained how despite the change in format for Mustafizur from T20 to ODI, the fierce competitions in IPL will help him do well as he joins the national team in Bangladesh. Also Read | 3 Key IPL 2026 Buys That Made Delhi Capitals the Strongest Team Why Mustafizur's Absence is a Setback for KKR KKR purchased Mustafizur with a strategy in mind. The thinking was that they required a left-arm fast bowler who could deliver cutters, remain calm under pressure late in the innings, and cause discomfort to batsmen with angles, much like they had been getting from Mitchell Starc before he moved away from the side. As IPL 2026 is expected to begin from March 26, Mustafizur will be absent during some initial matches. KKR would then have to work on their bowling accordingly. The squad will suddenly have to rely on their new big acquisition, Matheesha Pathirana, who came for a cost of ₹18 crores. Matheesha will lead the pace brigade for the overseas players, accompanied by the retained players Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora. KKR have the option of Cameron Green and Akash Deep available, but the skill set of Mustafizur is quite difficult to fill immediately. A Tactical Gap to Fill at Eden Gardens KKR have plenty of match-ups to look forward to at Eden Gardens, where the conditions are usually favorable to bowlers with variations. Mustafizur is known to bowl slow cutters and also knows how to restrict run flows in the last over. His unavailability for the first eight days leaves a minute tactical hole. If not, KKR may have to balance their foreign selections. This might also present an early opportunity to have an additional spinner or a second allrounder, subject to the conditions of the pitches. Also Read | Why Cameron Green Won’t Get Full ₹25.2 Crore Despite Record IPL 2026 Bid KKR's ₹9.20 Crore Decision: A Long-Term Move Even though Mustafizur Rahman might not be playing during the opening week, the franchise thinks that the long-term investment of this player outweighs the short-term cost. Now, at the age of 30, he still stands among the world’s best T20 bowlers. He also has adequate experience in Indian conditions because of his stint at CSK and Delhi. KKR went into the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of ₹64.30 crores, and their strategy was centered around their formidable array of bowlers, consisting of Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Pathirana, and Cameron Green. With the addition of Mustafizur, their left-arm bowler, their strategy was complete. The team considers him to be a crucial player for middle and death overs once he is back and learns to share his role with some other players in the team. The KKR management feels his availability for almost the whole season is worth his ₹9.20 crore bargain.