Cricket superstar Shakib returns home from USA

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Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan attends a training session at Edgbaston in Birmingham, central England on July 1, 2019. (Photo by Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP)

Bangladesh’s cricket superstar Shakib Al Hasan has returned home from the USA after a month on Thursday night.

Shakib has served a year-long ban due to failing to report corrupt approaches made to him. His ban came to an end on October 29. The southpaw is now available to play any form of cricket.

The allrounder will undergo a fitness test on November 9 ahead of a five-team T20 league. It’ll be his first competitive cricket event after serving the ban. Shakib said he is eager to make his comeback memorable.

He was expected to make a comeback to international cricket with Bangladesh’s Sri Lanka tour in October. But due to the Covid-19 situation in the island nation, the series was postponed, which has eventually delayed his return.

Shakib had a month-long individual practice programme in BKSP in September. He says it helped him immensely to get a good shape before making a return to competitive cricket.

“It was a great practice programme for me in BKSP (in September). I had planned to continue that programme for15-20 more days. But due to the postponement of Sri Lanka series, I couldn’t do that. I think it’ll not be a problem. I have a few days before the T20 league. I think it’ll be enough to get prepared,” Shakib told in a video published in his official social media channel.

Shakib played his last international match later last year against Zimbabwe at the home. Right before Bangladesh’s India tour for a three-match T20 and two-match Test series, Shakib was handed a two-year ban with one year is suspended.

The allrounder might make his international comeback with the home series against the West Indies early next year. Before that, he will take part in the five-team T20 league starting later this month.