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ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has once again blurred the line between politics and sport by branding Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan &ldquo;anti-national&rdquo; over his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise&rsquo;s decision to sign a Bangladeshi cricketer.&nbsp;The controversy erupted after the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, where Khan&rsquo;s franchise secured Bangladeshi left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for $1.02 million.&nbsp;BJP leaders and affiliates responded with public accusations and threats, drawing widespread criticism for injecting hyper-nationalist politics into a professional sporting league.&nbsp;Former BJP MLA Sangeet Som accused Khan of betraying India, declaring, &ldquo;If you earn money, it comes from this country. But you have betrayed the nation&hellip; there should not be any place for such traitors.&rdquo;&nbsp;Religious figure Jagadguru Rambhadracharya also joined the campaign, calling Shah Rukh Khan &ldquo;anti-national&rdquo; and questioning his character, alleging that his views had consistently been against the country.&nbsp;The rhetoric escalated further when BJP-affiliated figures issued direct threats. Abhishek Thakur, speaking in a video circulated on social media, said, &ldquo;We will beat Mustafizur Rahman and Shah Rukh Khan if they allow the former to play in IPL.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007093215787471269&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard&sessionId=bddc91dad91e30354161280cbf0fd80065d61fab&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2007093215787471269"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The incident exposed an increasingly hostile environment for foreign players, particularly from neighboring countries, amid India&rsquo;s domestic political discourse.&nbsp;Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla echoed the hardline position, stating, &ldquo;I completely agree that no player from Bangladesh should play in the IPL.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006740198017871968&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard&sessionId=bddc91dad91e30354161280cbf0fd80065d61fab&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2006740198017871968"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;In contrast, opposition leaders criticized the BJP&rsquo;s approach, warning that politicizing cricket undermines both sport and regional stability. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said cricket should not be used as a proxy for political disputes.&nbsp;&ldquo;Cricket should not be made to bear the burden for attacks on minorities in Bangladesh,&rdquo; Tharoor said.&nbsp;Congress leader Priyank Kharge also criticized the ruling party&rsquo;s campaign, cautioning that dragging sport into political hostility risks damaging India&rsquo;s relations with neighboring countries.&nbsp;The episode has revived broader criticism of India&rsquo;s repeated politicization of cricket, with observers noting that sporting bodies and tournaments have frequently been affected by political considerations, particularly in matters involving regional rivals and neighboring states.

Cricket

India’s BJP sparks controversy by branding Shah Rukh Khan anti-national for signing Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman, drawing criticism over politicizing cricket and issuing threats.

India’s BJP politicizes IPL, targets Shah Rukh Khan over Bangladeshi player

ISLAMABAD: The Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the world&rsquo;s most valuable sporting properties, has suffered a significant setback in 2025, with its brand value dropping by 20 percent to $9.6 billion, according to a latest assessment by Brand Finance.&nbsp;This marks only the second major decline in the league&rsquo;s history, the first being during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.&nbsp;The Indian media attributed the sharp fall primarily to an unprecedented mid-season suspension in May, when the tournament was halted for nearly a week amid Pakistan-India border tensions. The disruption, the first of its kind since 2020, dented broadcaster confidence, reduced sponsor visibility, and slowed the league&rsquo;s overall commercial momentum.&nbsp;Brand experts say the uncertainty caused by the temporary shutdown directly impacted advertising exposure and match-day revenues, creating ripple effects across franchise valuations and broadcast commitments.&nbsp;Beyond the suspension, the IPL also faced structural and regulatory challenges. India&rsquo;s ban on real-money gaming advertisements, once a major source of high-value sponsorships, removed a key revenue stream from the league. The exit of cryptocurrency sponsors further narrowed the commercial ecosystem.&nbsp;Scheduling clashes with Pakistan Super League (PSL X) complicated international broadcast windows, while uncertainty surrounding the upcoming IPL mega auction added to investor and franchise unease.&nbsp;The decline follows an already visible downward trend. A separate analysis by D&amp;P Advisory shows the IPL&rsquo;s valuation slipping for three consecutive years, from ₹92,500 crore in 2023 to ₹82,700 crore in 2024, and now ₹76,100 crore in 2025. Brand Finance notes that 2025 is only the second year in IPL history when overall valuation has moved backward.&nbsp;Franchises bear the bruntNine out of ten IPL franchises recorded notable drops in brand value. Traditionally strong teams were not spared. Mumbai Indians, which includes players like Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, saw their valuation fall by around 10 percent to $108 million. Former Indian captain, Virat Kohli&rsquo;s Royal Challengers Bengaluru dropped to $105 million.&nbsp;Some of the steepest declines were recorded by former champions. Chennai Super Kings, led by World Cup winning captain MS Dhoni, fell 24 percent to $93 million, while Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders dropped 33 percent to $73 million. Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals suffered the sharpest losses, down 34 percent and 35 percent respectively.Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals also reported moderate to heavy declines, reflecting broader instability across the league.&nbsp;Lone bright spotIn an otherwise subdued year, Gujarat Titans emerged as the only franchise to post growth, registering a modest 2 percent increase to reach $70 million. Analysts credit the team&rsquo;s stable on-field performance, strong fan engagement, and disciplined commercial planning for defying the league-wide downturn.&nbsp;Experts warn that while the IPL remains a global cricketing powerhouse, restoring growth will depend on commercial stability, regulatory clarity, and uninterrupted seasons. With mounting competition from other leagues and shifting sponsorship landscapes, the coming years could prove critical for the future trajectory of the tournament.

The Indian media attributes the sharp fall primarily to an unprecedented mid-season suspension in May, when the tournament was halted for nearly a week amid Pakistan-India border tensions.

Articles tagged with "IPL"

India’s BJP politicizes IPL, targets Shah Rukh Khan over Bangladeshi player

IPL brand value takes major hit after Pakistan-India conflict

India’s BJP politicizes IPL, targets Shah Rukh Khan over Bangladeshi player