Former national skipper Mohammad Ashraful will return from England today as a relieved but confused man following contradictory statements regarding his eligibility in the Bangladesh Premier League. Ashraful’s three-year ban will go today, making him eligible for domestic cricket but Bangladesh Cricket Board officials said he would still remain ineligible for the national team. A spokesman of International Cricket Council on Friday confirmed that Ashraful will have to wait for another two years before he is considered for the national team again but did not specify anything about BPL. ‘Ashraful can resume all cricket within BCB’s jurisdiction and non- first-class cricket in ICC Members’ jurisdiction from August 13,’ said the spokesman. ‘He [however] will be allowed to return to international cricket in 2018.’ While ‘all cricket within BCB’s jurisdiction’ also includes BPL, Ashraful’s lawyer Yasin Patel earlier told New Age that ‘he will be ineligible to play International cricket or the BPL.’ Ashraful was initially slapped with an eight-year ban by a special anti-corruption tribunal set up by the BCB in July 2014. A one-member appeal panel reduced his ban to five-year with last two years as suspended ban upon producing a certificate of good conduct from the ICC. The BCB and the ICC had lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland against his reduced ban in October 2014 but later withdrew it. Ashraful’s lawyer Patel confirmed the withdrawal of appeal but did not clear if any condition was attached. BCB insiders said ICC put some restrictions on Ashraful before agreeing with withdraw their appeal. They include a separate clause for the franchise-based competitions. BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury said they are still waiting ICC’s response regarding Ashraful’s eligibility in certain domestic competition. ‘We have asked for clarification from the ICC regarding Ashraful’s status for domestic competition,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we will be able to give you an answer by Sunday.’ Nizamuddin refused to confirm if Ashraful will be considered for the upcoming Bangladesh Cricket League until ICC clarification. Source: New Age
