||CF Correspondent||

Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful’s five-year ban from international cricket ended in August this year. Though he has been featuring in the domestic circuit for two years now, the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) will be his first tournament with international exposure since being banned for match-fixing in the second edition of the competition in 2013.

The right-handed batsman has been roped in by Chittagong Vikings in the players’ draft. He was enlisted in the B category, which had a price tag of Taka 18 lakh.

Chittagong Vikings have given a second chance to someone like Ashraful for the second time, as they had previously signed Mohammad Amir in 2015 after the Pakistan fast-bowler was done serving a five-year ban for the same reason as Ashraful.

Abdul Wahed, the owner of Chittagong Vikings, is hopeful that Ashraful will return to the national side the same way Amir paved his way back to Pakistan’s national setup.

“We were keen to get him as we believe he had learned from the mistake and we need to provide him with a platform to perform,” Wahed told reporters after the draft session. “Earlier we had picked Mohammad Amir once he was eligible to play after that fixing saga and he returned to the national setup and we believe the same will happen to Ashraful as well.”

The sixth edition of BPL is likely to put an end to Ashraful’s wait as he is eager to send out a loud and clear message to the world by proving himself once again on a platform that attracts the international audience.

“I wanted to get a chance in a team where I could perform. So, I am happy to get a chance in Chittagong.