Nasir gets ICC clearance to resume playing after 2-year ban

UNB, Dhaka :

Bangladesh cricketer Nasir Hossain has been officially cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resume his professional cricket career, following the successful completion of his two-year ban for breaching the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code.

The 33-year-old all-rounder, once a mainstay in Bangladesh’s middle order, was suspended in September 2023 for two years-with six months of the sentence suspended-after being found guilty of corruption-related violations during his stint in a foreign franchise league.

On Monday, the ICC confirmed that Nasir had met all the conditions necessary for reinstatement, including the completion of a mandatory anti-corruption education programme.

With those requirements now fulfilled, he is once again eligible to participate in all forms of official cricket, effective from April 7.

Nasir wasted no time marking his return. On the very day of his reinstatement, he turned out for Rupganj Tigers in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, making his competitive comeback after nearly 19 months away from the professional game.

Nasir last played for Bangladesh in 2018, ending an international career that saw him appear in 115 matches across formats.

He gained a reputation early on for his aggressive strokeplay and handy off-spin, playing key roles in Bangladesh’s rise in limited-overs cricket during the 2010s.

Nasir’s comeback arrives at a time when Bangladesh cricket is witnessing a generational transition. Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad have retired from international cricket, and Mushfiuqr Rahim has said goodbye to ODIs and T20Is.