End of Shakib’s Ban: Lessons amid relief

When Shakib Al Hasan left the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium exactly a year ago in a white BMW sedan, he would have done so with Bangladesh cricket fans praying that his ban from cricket would be over in the blink of an eye.

That ban has ended today, and it has gone by quicker than anticipated as Bangladesh have not played a single international match for seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A year ago was the last time Shakib was seen at the home of Bangladesh cricket after the International Cricket Council banned him for two years, with the second of those suspended, for failing to report corrupt approaches from an alleged bookmaker to the ICC's anti-corruption unit.

The acute remorse on the face of the country's most celebrated sportsman, before he left the venue that became a second home, has become a lesson and a reminder for other cricketers, who will definitely think twice before committing similar errors.

Shakib's ban was arguably the biggest shock in Bangladesh cricket. Mohammad Ashraful's case was different as his ban was for fixing matches while Shakib's on-field performances have generally been above question.

Shakib will now be allowed to appear in both international and domestic cricket and will be available for selection from today. Currently in the United States, the all-rounder is set to return to cricket in the domestic T20 tournament arranged by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) set to start from mid-November.

Since his ban in October last year, Bangladesh, who were scheduled for a busy year with at least 36 international games, played only 14 international matches -- four Tests, three ODIs and seven T20Is.

Although it is as yet uncertain when the Tigers will next play an international match, Shakib's availability from today will certainly boost the side's morale.

Shakib's teammates are all set to welcome their best performer with open arms and the youngsters who idolise him are eagerly waiting for the superstar to rejoin the dressing room. 

"We have all been waiting for Shakib bhai since his ban and it's a great feeling to have him back with us again. He is our biggest asset and as a teammate it's the best news we have today," national batsman Mohammad Mithun told The Daily Star yesterday.

Shakib's return is of course good news, but his absence may have been more important if it taught a lesson to young players like Afif Hossain, Mohmmad Saifuddin, Mosaddek Hossain and many other upcoming cricketers who idolise Shakib.

In a Cricbuzz interview in June this year, Shakib said, "I took the approaches from the bookie too casually. Later, I presented the evidence to the Anti-Corruption officials and explained everything honestly and they know everything about what happened. To be honest, that's the only reason I was banned for a year, otherwise I could have been banned for five to 10 years. 

"I think it was a silly mistake I made having played international cricket and all the anti-corruption sessions I attended; I shouldn't have made such mistakes. I regret that and I think no one should take messages or calls from strangers lightly. That's the lesson I learned and I learned a big lesson."