Nasir Hossain returns to competitive cricket after serving two-year ban

Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain is set to return to competitive cricket after completing a two-year ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the Emirates Cricket Board's anti-corruption code after the 2020-21 Abu Dhabi T10 league. 

Hossain, who was once a handy middle-order batter and occasional partnership-breaker for the Bangladesh team in international cricket, has not played an international match since 2018. Hossain was banned for two years after he broke three laws in the anti-corruption code during the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.

Having fulfilled all requirements to return to cricket officially, Hossain will mark his to cricket with Dhaka Premier Division League, playing for the Rupganj Tigers.

Nasir was found guilty on three separate charged as 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 US$750, namely the gift of a new iPhone 12".

In the second charge, he "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".

Further, in the third charge, he "failed or refused, without compelling justification, to cooperate with the designated anti-corruption official's investigation". He had accepted all three charges.

“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," the BCB stated on Monday.

Hossain, who debuted for Bangladesh in 2011 at the age of 20 against Zimbabwe, has played 19 Tests, 65 ODis and 31 T20Is in his international career, scoring 2695 runs at an average of 28.67 and picking 39 wickets.