Shakib granted NOC for IPL

Bangladesh's ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been given a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled to start from tomorrow.

"He has been given anNOC for the IPL," Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told The Daily Star yesterday.

Shakib suffered an injury to the little finger on his left hand while playing for his side Dhaka Dynamites'in the Bangladesh Premier League final against Comilla Victorians on February 8. He has since been out of action, missing the entirety of the Tigers' tour of New Zealand which ended earlier this month.

Shakib's two-week rehabilitation program -- an extended period of recovery -- following the injury was completed on Wednesday but he could not meet with BCB officials that day due to heavy traffic on the roads caused by students protesting the death of a university student run over by a bus in the capital on Tuesday.

However, BCB officialsmet with the 31-year-old yesterday and the chief physician Dr Debashish Chowdhury informed that the report of the X-ray conducted on his injured finger was positive.

However, Nizamuddin mentioned that, keeping in mind Bangladesh's upcoming tri-nation series in Ireland set to start on May 7, the team management could opt to call Shakib for national duty whenever they deem fit.

"If the team management thinks they need him for practice ahead of the Ireland series then they can call him back from the IPL campaign. The team management may also decide that he can play the IPL and join the team in Ireland directly after," added Nizamuddin.

The CEO also mentioned that the BCB had advised Shakib to keep in touch and consult with its medical team throughout the IPL campaign, which starts on March 24 with his team Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Kolkata Knight Riders.

Shakib, who helped Sunrisers finish runners-up in the last edition of IPL, was retained by the franchise. Although Shakib had a torrid time with the bat, the left-hander finished as the second-highest wicket-taker for Sunrisers, scalping 14 in 17 matches.

After being out of action for over a month, Shakib could use the IPL to get back his rhythm ahead of the World Cup.