Mustafizur Rahman, the renowned Bangladeshi pacer, is set to miss the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) due to visa processing for the T20 World Cup 2024. The tournament is scheduled to take place in the Caribbean and the United States starting June, necessitating his temporary departure to Bangladesh for the visa application.
CSK will face an away game against SRH on Friday, April 5, with Mustafizur’s return anticipated for either Sunday or Monday, contingent on the retrieval of his passport. This timeline is precarious as a return on Monday, April 8, could potentially lead him to miss the subsequent home match against Kolkata Knight Riders on the same day.
Jalal Yunus, the chairman of cricket operations for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). He stated, “Mustafizur arrived last night from the IPL for US visa purposes for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He’s scheduled for his fingerprinting at the US embassy tomorrow (April 4) and will thereafter return to India to rejoin Chennai.”
In the ongoing IPL season, Mustafizur has been a standout performer for CSK, leading the bowling charts with seven wickets in just three matches. His impactful start included 4-29 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the season opener and 2-30 against Gujarat Titans, contributing significantly to CSK’s successes. However, he faced challenges in the match against his former team, Delhi Capitals, giving away 47 runs for one wicket in four overs.
Mustafizur’s participation in IPL 2024 is limited to the end of April, as he is due to join the Bangladesh national cricket team for a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe starting May 3. “His No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the IPL extends till April 30. We expect him to return after fulfilling his commitments in the IPL,” Yunus elaborated.
This temporary absence highlights the balancing act international players must manage between league commitments and international duties, especially in a busy Cricket calendar.
Source: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/130071/mustafizur-set-to-miss-srh-clash-to-process-us-visa
