High-level ICC delegation due today to submit ACSU report
The house at Banasri in the capital did not have the usual festivity on the Eid day. There were no big parties, no big gatherings, just some formalities and that was that. Mohammad Ashraful, the nucleus of the house, celebrated his Eid-ul Fitr as quietly as possible, unlike past years.
This was quite unusual for the man, the first global superstar of Bangladesh cricket, who is known for his buoyant character and for not being one to miss an opportunity to crack jokes with friends and family.
There was a time when brushing shoulders with him was considered to be a big Eid bonus for the neighbours, but no-one jumped to visit the house this year. An unusual calm prevailed all over the house, which only indicated that a big storm is in the offing.
Anyone with the least bit of interest in Bangladesh cricket must be aware of what the storm is all about.
The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit is all set to submit its report on the allegations of Bangladesh Premier League match-fixing and Ashraful, already suspended from all cricketing activities, should be at the heart of it.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed on Sunday that ICC chief executive officer David Richardson will lead a delegation that will submit its findings, which could rock not just Bangladesh cricket, but the world game too.
The delegates, who are expected to arrive today, include ICC communication manager Sami ul Hasan and a top official from the body’s legal department. They are scheduled to attend a press conference on Monday, during which they may make the report public.
Ashraful was already aware of the visit, which may effectively announce the end of his cricketing career. A tensed Ashraful said that he received some mental courage from his family members and tried to enjoy aspects of life other than cricket.
He visited the house of his mentor, Wahidul Gani, where he had a kind of reunion with his Ankur Academy friends, who are also said to have provided him with some support during this period.
The meeting with Ankur friends also gave Ashraful some kind of relief, as he felt he still had a life without cricket.
‘I realised that life is more than just cricket,’ Ashraful told New Age.
‘I am trying hard to get accustomed to it,’ he said, making no attempt to hide his concern.
Aside from Ashraful, the imminent visit of ICC officials has cost a few other players and officials some sleep.
BCB officials are already at unease over the upcoming elections, and the ACSU report may have far-reaching implications in some of their lives. It is expected that the ACSU may implicate some officials who either collaborated in or turned a blind eye to match-fixing.
The owners of the Dhaka Gladiators and a few other cricketers on the team could also be implicated in the report, which will be submitted to the BCB before being made public.
Having left the country, left-arm spinner Mosharraf Hossain, also involved in the scandal, could be watching from the United Kingdom as his fate is decided by the ACSU report.
It was learnt that paceman Mahbubul Alam also awaits his fate when the BCB gave clear hints about his involvement in the scandal.
Dhaka Gladiators owner Salim Chowdhury, who allegedly instructed Ashraful to throw the match, remained confident of his innocence.
‘I am confident the ACSU will not be able to prove anything against me,’ he said. ‘I am ready to fight if things go otherwise as I have not done anything wrong to the best of my knowledge.’
-With New Age input
