Tainted fast bowler Shahadat Hossain made a desperate attempt to return back into cricket with the ongoing Dhaka Premier League through making a public apology on Thursday.
The 29-year cricketer is barred from participating in the league as a case against him for assaulting his 11-year-old child maid is pending at Dhaka court.In December police pressed charges of assault and torture against the pace bowler and his wife Jasmin Jahan after the maid was found on a road crying with black and swollen eyes.
He spent two months in custody after he handed himself in to police on October 5 and has since been released on bail, as has his wife.
‘I regret the unwarranted incident I was involved in and for it apologise to the whole nation,’ he said in a statement on Thursday.
‘For the sake of cricket and my livelihood, I want to return to cricket.
‘I appeal to the nation, the BCB [Bangladesh Cricket Board], to allow me to return to cricket and correct my mistake. I apologise for my misdeed,’ he said.
Shahadat claimed that the court imposed no restriction on him to play in the league as it is his livelihood.
Some senior cricketers also requested the BCB to allow him in the league on humanitarian ground.
However, BCB sources said even if he is cleared by the authorities, Shahadat is unlikely to return to competitive cricket very soon as he is yet to fully recover from a knee surgery.
BCB physicians conducted a fitness test of Shahadat on April 26 and according to the outcome, he is yet to gain full fitness and will need another four weeks of rehabilitation.
‘He will be able to return back before June 1,’ said BCB physician Debashish Chowdhury.
-With New Age input
