Ashraful ban ends Saturday

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful will return to competitive cricket from Saturday after he served a three-year ban for his involvement in corruption during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20.

Initially, Ashraful was slapped with an eight-year ban by the BPL anti-corruption tribunal in July 2014. But in September of that year, it was reduced to five years after he appealed to the disciplinary committee chairman. He confessed his guilt before being banned and the five-year ban was dated from August 13, 2013. It includes the last two-year suspended sentence subject to his participation in the Bangladesh Cricket Board's anti-corruption education and training programme.

He also has to pay a Tk 10 lakh penalty for his misdemeanour.

Ashraful can play domestic cricket but the 32-year old will not be eligible for the national team and franchise-based T20 tournaments, including the BPL, for the next two years.

But there was still some confusion whether Ashraful is eligible to take part in the upcoming Bangladesh Cricket League, which is also a franchise-based tournament. BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the board has asked the International Cricket Council regarding the matter and will get to know by Sunday.

“We have sent a letter to the ICC regarding Ashraful's issue and we will get to know about the details by Sunday. There are a few aspects which need to be cleared and we will get to know about those by this time,” said Nizamuddin on Thursday.

Currently Ashraful is participating in an unofficial Sunday League in Kent, England and expected to return to Bangladesh on Saturday as he gears up to make a comeback to competitive cricket with the BCL scheduled to start from September 20.