IPL 2024: CSK’s Mustafizur Rahman flies back home for USA visa, unavailable for match against SRH

Chennai Super Kings’ premier fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman will miss his team’s upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as he has gone back to Bangladesh to process his visa for the ICC T20 World Cup.

The entire Bangladesh team, along with Rahman, have been asked to assemble in the US embassy in Dhaka for their visa to the United States of America and the West Indies, where the ICC T20 World Cup will be held. The World Cup starts on June 1.

CSK will meet SRH on April 5, but Rahman will only be able to rejoin the team over the weekend, and it also depends on when he will receive his passport back.

The Bangladesh fast bowler is a vital cog in CSK’s wheel and is currently the Purple Cap holder, given for taking the most number of wickets in the league, with seven wickets from three matches, operating at an average of 15.14 and an economy rate of 8.83.

He came to the party in the tournament opener when he crushed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with a spell of 4/29, picking up all four wickets in the space of 10 balls. He picked up two wickets in CSK’s next match against the Gujarat Titans and one wicket against the Delhi Capitals.

CSK will miss Rahman’s services in the later part of the league as he has obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board only till April 30 as he would be needed to join the national team for their T20 series against Zimbabwe, which starts in the first week of May.

In the 28-year-old’s absence, CSK might turn to Moeen Ali, who is also a handy batter, or Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana could get the nod. However, what CSK would also dearly miss is the combo of Rahman and Matheesha Pathirana at the death, but the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team has the arsenal to compensate for the unavailability of any player.