Bangladesh allrounder Nasir Hossain has been officially cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to resume his professional cricket career after completing a two-year suspension for breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
The 33-year-old, once a vital figure in Bangladesh’s middle order, had been suspended in September 2023 for violations committed during his stint with the Pune Devils franchise in the 2020–21 Abu Dhabi T10 League. He was one of eight individuals charged by the ICC for corruption-related breaches under the Emirates Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code. Of the two-year ban, six months were suspended.
The ICC confirmed on Monday that Nasir had satisfied all requirements for reinstatement, including the completion of a mandatory anti-corruption education programme. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also issued a statement:
“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 charges against Nasir included failing to report a valuable gift and a corrupt approach. The ICC stated:
“The first charge against Nasir was that 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’.”
“The second charge was that 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’.”
Nasir also “failed or refused, without compelling justification, to cooperate with the designated anti-corruption official’s investigation”. He had accepted all three charges.
Nasir wasted no time in returning to the field. On the very day of his reinstatement, April 7, 2025, he played for Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League, facing Gazi Group Cricketers in Mirpur. It marked his first competitive match in nearly 19 months. His last appearance before the ban had been in May 2023, playing for Prime Bank Cricket Club in a List A game against the same Gazi Group side.
From 2011 to 2018, Nasir featured in 19 Tests, 65 ODIs, and 31 T20Is for Bangladesh. He earned recognition for his aggressive strokeplay and useful off-spin, playing significant roles in Bangladesh’s rise in international white-ball cricket during the early to mid-2010s.
His comeback also coincides with a period of generational shift in Bangladesh cricket. Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah Riyad have announced their retirements from international cricket, while Mushfiqur Rahim has stepped away from ODIs and T20Is. In this context, Nasir’s return may offer both experience and balance to the evolving domestic cricket structure.
Nasir Hossain’s path back to professional cricket has been far from smooth, but with his suspension officially over and requirements fulfilled, he now has the opportunity to make a fresh impact on the game.
