Shakib can be included in LPL auction: ICC

Shakib Al Hasan is currently under a ban from ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches. The ban ends on October 29, 2020, but even before that, Shakib's name was included in the auction for the inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL). 

Shakib's name being in the auction list created confusions as there were no clear rules about a banned player being included in an auction. The LPL authority did not disclose anything about this matter but the International Cricket Council (ICC) has.

A banned cricketer can be included in an auction if he is not involved in any kind of cricket-related activities, ICC informed. As the auction does not fall into any event regarding cricket, so ICC has no embargo upon Shakib's name being included there. 

This matter was confirmed to The Business Standard (TBS) by the manager of ICC Media and Communications, Rajshekhar Rao. After TBS mailed ICC asking about the matter, Rao provided TBS with the information.

"As per our understanding, if he is not directly involved in any activity, so it is fine (for his name to be included in the auction)," Rao wrote in his reply. 

Shakib's ban will come to an end on October 28 but the LPL auction is scheduled on October. Can a banned player be included in an auction, that is what created the confusion. 

The LPL is set to be held for the first time this year. The tournament will kick off on November 14, 2020, with five teams and end on December 6, 2020. The 23 matches of the tournament will be held across three venues in Dambulla, Pallekelle and Hambantota. 

Players like Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy, Darren Bravo, Shahid Afridi are also included in the auction list alongside Shakib. The tournament was primarily scheduled in August but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Shakib will return to the Bangladesh side with the Tigers' second Test against Sri Lanka, informed BCB President Nazmul Hassan. As a part of his return, Shakib started training at BKSP from September 5.