India, Jan. 4 -- Mustafizur Rahman, the celebrated Bangladeshi fast bowler, is at the center of a diplomatic storm that has halted his lucrative Indian Premier League career and now threatens to reshape the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) forced his release from the Kolkata Knight Riders this week, triggering a tit-for-tat boycott by Bangladesh of World Cup matches in India.

Mustafizur "The Fizz" Rahman is a left-arm fast-medium bowler for Bangladesh, renowned for his deceptive off-cutter variations. He debuted internationally in 2015 with a historic performance, becoming the only bowler to claim five-wicket hauls in his first two One-Day Internationals. He now plays for the Rangpur Riders in the ...