Bangladesh's Nasir Hossain returns to competitive cricket after 2-year ban ends

Dhaka, April 7 (IANS) Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain, who was banned for two years by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code in the 2020-21 Abu Dhabi T10 league, is now back to playing competitive cricket.

Hossain's return to competitive cricket came when he was included by the Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club in their Dhaka Premier Division League match against Gazi Group Cricketers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.

"As per the terms of the sanction, Nasir Hossain has now fulfilled all requirements, including completing the mandatory anti-corruption education session. This has paved the way for his eligibility to re-enter official cricket as of April 7, 2025," said the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in its statement on Monday.

Hossain played 19 Tests, 65 ODIs and 31 T20Is for Bangladesh from 2011 to 2018. But in September 2023, Hossain was banned from all forms of cricket for two years, with six months of it being suspended, as the ICC found him in breach of three charges during his association with the Pune Devils franchise in the T10 league.

Charge number one against him was the breach of Article 2.4.3 of the Code, in that he failed to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of a gift that was offered to him that had a value of over 750 US dollars, namely the gift of a new iPhone 12.

The second charge was that Hossain failed to disclose to the designated anti-corruption official full details of the approach or invitation he received to engage in corrupt conduct via the new iPhone 12.

The third charge against Hossain was that he failed or refused, without compelling justification, to cooperate with the designated anti-corruption official's investigation.

--IANS

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