Nadir Shah (third from right) umpired in the USA in 2014, while his ten-year ban was still in place
The BCB has lifted the 10-year ban it had imposed on umpire Nadir Shah in March 2013. Shah had been banned on charges of corruption alleged during a TV sting operation. The decision to revoke the ban was made unanimously by board members during a meeting on Monday.
Shah is now eligible to stand in Bangladesh’s domestic competitions, though it is not clear whether he will resume umpiring in the Bangladesh Cricket League first-class competition or in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.
“The BCB felt he [Shah] was repentant and had rectified himself in the last couple of years,” BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus told ESPNcricinfo. “He wasn’t involved in any financial deals in the TV sting. He is one of our best umpires so as a first step he will be umpiring in domestic cricket.”
Shah said he was happy to be allowed to umpire again. “I am very happy that the BCB has lifted my ban,” he said. “I am looking forward to getting back on the field. I had submitted a mercy petition in the past so I feel happy that it has been taken into consideration.”
Over the last two years, the BCB has discussed Shah’s reinstatement in meetings, but couldn’t arrive at a unanimous decision.
Three months after being banned, Shah submitted a mercy plea to the BCB to reduce the term of his suspension. Exactly 12 months later, he umpired in matches in the USA and three months later, he stood in a domestic T20 match after being told the BCB had lifted the ban, but the board president Nazmul Hassan said a couple of days later that the ban remained in place and Shah had stood due to “miscommunication”.
The sting, conducted in July-August 2012, was broadcast by India TV, which claimed to have “exposed” several first-class umpires from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, who were allegedly willing to give decisions favouring players for a fee. In the sting, the reporters claimed to belong to a sports management company and promised the umpires officiating assignments in events of all kinds around the world, largely in domestic Twenty20 leagues. All three national boards announced investigations following the broadcast. The BCB conducted a detailed investigation into the matter, with two committees formed by subsequent boards of directors.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo’s Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo