'I have never taken it seriously': Mushfiqur Rahim after going unsold in IPL 2020 auction

The way things panned out before the just-concluded auction of the IPL, it looked like Mushfiqur Rahim would finally get a contract from the biggest cricket league in the world. Having not been picked up any IPL team in the past, Mushfiqur Rahim decided not to put his name in the initial list for the auction. However, he decided to go under the hammer after the franchises requested for his name.

He was one of the 24 players who were later added to the final auction list. But to everyone’s utter surprise, the wicketkeeper-batsman went unsold once again. Mushfiqur, however, is not bothered at all with the latest snub from the IPL teams. The right-handed batsman stressed that while he had some hope, he never took the auctions seriously.

“Things like this [being picked or snubbed in the IPL auction table] either happen or they don’t but it doesn’t bother me too much,” Mushfiqur was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “I had some hope but it didn’t happen. Life moves on. I have never taken it seriously. Now we are playing in BPL and I want to focus on it.”

‘Changed my mind’: Mushfiqur Rahim

Mushfiqur Rahim further stated that he did not want to register for the auction as he was apprehensive of his chance. However, he changed his mind after the franchises requested him. Mushfiqur concluded by stressing that going unsold in the IPL auction was not a big issue for him.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to send my name at first because I thought no one is going to pick me. So there was no point in keeping my name there,” he said.

“But when they [IPL authorities] sent in the request, I thought there may be some chance this time. It did not happen but it is not in my control. It is not a big issue for me. I don’t know a lot about it. I got to know from [media] about which franchises might be interested. I don’t know anything other than that,” he added.

Mushfiqur, meanwhile, is not the only cricketer from Bangladesh who went unsold in the auction. In fact, no player from Bangladesh will play in the next edition of the IPL. Along with Mushfiqur, Mustafizur Rahman also went unsold.

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