South Africa pacer Rabada cleared to play after serving ban for recreational drug use

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to play cricket again after serving a one-month suspension for using a recreational drug, South Africa’s anti-doping agency said on Monday.

It means Rabada is eligible again to play for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and for his country in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s next month.

Rabada tested positive for a recreational drug during a domestic Twenty20 competition in South Africa in January, the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport said. He was informed of the positive test on April 1.

The anti-doping agency said Rabada was eligible for a reduced one-month ban because he completed a substance abuse treatment program. It did not say which drug Rabada tested positive for.

Rabada left the IPL last month citing personal reasons and said in a statement on Saturday that he had been serving a suspension for using a recreational drug and was “deeply sorry.”

“Moving forward, this moment will not define me,” he said in the statement. “I will keep doing what I have always done, continuously working hard and playing with passion and devotion to my craft.”

The 29-year-old Rabada is on course to be one of South Africa’s all-time greats and has taken 327 test wickets, putting him behind only Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald, who have all retired.

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