With the Supreme Court on Friday (15th March) cancelling the life ban on former India cricketer S. Sreesanth and asking the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reconsider his punishment, his family and friends  expressed real happiness over the fresh developments. Before the verdict, the cricketer's wife Bhuvaneswari, along with their daughter, prayed at two temples near Kochi, she said.

"Finally he has got justice, we wish the BCCI also will allow him to play. We are really thankful to all who have been supporting us. He has been also very keen to return to play and has been keeping fit. Just the other day while engaged in practice, he suffered an injury on his forehead," a happy Bhuvaneswari told the media present at the family home here.

His mother Savithiri Devi said that she has been seeing her son suffering ever since the case began.

"We are really thankful to God , who has given him relief. I have seen his suffering for more than five years now," she said.

Apart from Sreesanth's family members, his friends & 'Bigg Boss 12' contestants Shivashish Mishra, Jasleen Matharu, Deepak Thakur among others congratulated the cricketer on social media. Take a look at their posts below:

Shivashish Mishra: Hell yeah bro is back in action! #banreleased #provedhismetal #shivsree #superhappy cause Victory belongs to those who believe in it the most and the longest! Time to partaaaaaayyyyy!!


All is NOT well between Bigg Boss 12 winner Dipika Kakar & 'bhai' Sreesanth?

Deepak Thakur: Ye Banda wapas aayega dil bol rha tha,Aur lo aa gye @sreesanthnair36 Om Namah shivaaye Aaj sree bhaiya k Haq me Faisla aaya h supreme court ka.♥️


Jasleen Matharu: Justice is finally served. Supreme court lifted the life ban ???? Yooo My Brooo @sreesanthnair36 Sooooooo Happy for you.. Congratulations @bhuvneshwari.sreesanth ????❤


Anup Jalota: Justice is finally served.....@sreesanth36 Ji eagerly waiting for your Mighty comeback in Cricket. #Sreesanth


Roshmi Banik: Yayyyyyyyy....!!! Finally after 5 long years Justice has been served. You deserved it @sreesanthnair36  Congratulations !!! 15th March '19 will indeed be a super memorable day for us....wohooooo the man with the golden heart will now play for the nation again!!!! Cricket is his life and now finally he can breathe khul ke


Sourabh Patel: Congratulations♥️ bhai, U DID IT !‬


Sreesanth was arrested by Delhi Police along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan on charges of spot-fixing during the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In a relief for the pace bowler, the apex court set aside the life ban imposed on him as a bench headed by Ashok Bhushan asked the BCCI to reconsider the quantum of punishment for Sreesanth.

The apex court, however, maintained that Sreesanth is guilty of betting/match-fixing.

Delhi Police had arrested Sreesanth from his friend's house while Chandila and Chavan had been picked up from the team hotel as the three were plying their trade for Rajasthan Royals in the T20 league.

(Inputs added in IANS copy)