Bhubaneswar, Jan. 3 -- Former India all-rounder Madan Lal has alleged that external pressure played a decisive role in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to part ways with Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

In a recent interaction, Madan Lal expressed concern over what he described as the increasing influence of politics on sport, arguing that cricketers were becoming unintended victims of larger geopolitical issues. According to him, the BCCI's authority is such that no franchise, regardless of stature or ownership, is in a position to question its decisions.

He pointed out that the move came amid criticism of KKR and its co-owner Shah Rukh Khan for...