Rubel cleared to travel to South Africa

Bangladesh pacer Rubel Hossain will travel to South Africa on Thursday night, after receiving security clearance from the South African authorities. Rubel had been barred from travelling with the Bangladesh team on Saturday, as the airlines refused to issue his boarding pass.

"The security clearance of Rubel has arrived and he will be taking the evening flight," Jalal Yunus, BCB's media committee chairman, said.

In a press briefing earlier in the afternoon, BCB president Nazmul Hassan said that Rubel was a victim of mistaken identity; another person of the same name and date of birth is barred from entering South Africa. The resultant confusion stopped Rubel from boarding the flight for Johannesburg.

The incident prompted an emergency meeting at the board headquarters on Thursday, headed by the BCB chief Hassan.

"We have continuously been in contact with Cricket South Africa, who are also in touch with their home ministry," Hassan said. "We have received the photo and name of another "Rubel Hossain", whose date of birth also matches with the player. But this person is barred from entering South Africa, so we have confirmed to them that it is not the cricketer Rubel Hossain. I think they got confused, but the photos don't match."