Country comes first: Mustafiz

But Mustafizur opined that said he would not play in the IPL if the team needs him in the Sri Lanka tour.

Bangladesh team departed from the country to play the New Zealand tour on Tuesday. The Tigers are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in mid-April for a two-match Test series which was suspended twice during the corona-hit 2020. 

“For me, the country will come first,” said Mustafizur Rahman, who adorably dubbed Fizz after being called cutter-master for his mysterious off and in-cutter to bewilder the opposition batsmen. 

“I will not play in the IPL if I am in the Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka. But if I am not in the team, I will play for Rajasthan if BCB gives permission,” Mustafiz said while speaking to media before leaving for New Zealand.

Before the IPL mini-auction, it was informed that Bangladesh cricketers will not be available for the entire season due to their series during the period of the largest popular Twenty20 Cricket Tournament after ICC World Cup. 

Shakib Al Hasan already pulled out his name from the Tigers’ New Zealand tour and Sri Lanka tour in a bid to play in the ensuing edition of the IPL. The board has already granted his plea.

In addition, Mustafiz met Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon over the IPL issue earlier on February 22. 

The BCB has left the desicion of playing in the IPL to Mustafiz. At the same time, the BCB president informed Mustafiz that if he wanted to play in the IPL, he should send a letter to the BCB. Then the board will not stop him from playing.