Chennai Super Kings (CSK) welcomed Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman to their team uniquely for the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). On Tuesday, December 19, the five-time champions bought Mustafizur for his base price of INR 2 crore.
Mustafizur played for the Delhi Capitals (DC) last season before being released. The pacer is now expected to partner Matheesha Pathirana for the Super Kings in the pace bowling department.
CSK, in the meantime, reminded Mustafizur of the collision he had with then Indian captain MS Dhoni.
The Super Kings wrote, “From Collision to Coalition!”
Back in the first ODI of the series in 2015 between India and Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, an ugly incident turned out. During the 25th over of the Indian innings, Mustafizur seemed to have moved towards Dhoni, who was looking to take a single.
Thereafter, Dhoni palpably shoved Mustafizur with his forearm. Later, Mustafizur was fined 50 percent of his match fees. Dhoni copped a fine of 75 percent of his match fees. Barring the controversy, it was a memorable match for Mustafizur as he picked up a five-wicket haul on debut.
Mustafizur was the only Bangladeshi player in the auction after Shoriful Islam and Taskin Ahmed reportedly opted out. The seamer remains the only foreign cricketer to win the Emerging Player of the IPL. Back in 2016, he won the award after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won the IPL by beating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the final.
Mustafizur is currently in New Zealand where he is taking part in the three-match ODI series. The seamer has been a stalwart of the Tigers’ pace attack over the last nine years.
As far as CSK are concerned, they are the defending champions after they defeated the Gujarat Titans in the final last year at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
