Sometimes, cricketers make a mistake off the field and they might have to suffer the consequences. A few cricketers have had to serve a ban due to various reasons. However, after serving the ban, a few cricketers have come back strongly. In fact, a few are also captaining a side in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Here, we take a look at two once banned cricketers who are now captains in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
1) Shakib Al Hasan
It is not once that Shakib Al Hasan has been banned. Around 2014, he was suspended due to his “attitude”. The more serious ban came up recently when Shakib was banned for not reporting an approach for match-fixing. Nevertheless, he came back strongly in both the cases.
For Shakib, the ongoing World Cup will be his last one. Unfortunately, his World Cup dream has ended as Bangladesh has been knocked out of the tournament. The team will now want to qualify within the Top 7 so that they can at least play in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
2) Kusal Mendis
Kusal Mendis is also a part of this list of once banned cricketers who are now captains in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Dasun Shanaka was appointed as the Sri Lankan captain for the World Cup. After he was ruled out due to injury, it was the in-form cricketer Kusal Mendis who replaced him.
Not many remember that Kusal had to serve a ban not long ago. When the team was touring England, Kusal, along with two other players, was seen breaking the bio-bubble. Hence, the board gave him a ban for a year. However, after a few months, the ban was lifted. Mendis is now likely to be appointed as the full-time skipper of Sri Lanka. It needs to be seen how he would perform. It will be difficult to replace someone like Dasun Shanaka.
