Shakib Al Hasan Suspended from Bowling Amid Ongoing Challenges
Bangladesh’s cricket star, Shakib Al Hasan, has been banned from bowling in all domestic and international cricket matches, as announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday, December 15. This suspension is a direct result of a previous ban from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) due to issues with his bowling action. The BCB confirmed that this action was mandatory under regulations set by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Shakib recently faced an independent assessment at Loughborough University in the UK, where he was found to have an illegal bowling action. This assessment was triggered by concerns raised during a county cricket match in England last September. According to ICC rules, when a player is suspended by a national cricket board for a bowling violation, that suspension automatically extends to all other competitions governed by ICC-affiliated organizations.
The BCB issued a clear statement regarding Shakib’s status, indicating that he is not allowed to bowl in any competitions overseen by the ECB, which also means he can’t bowl in domestic events or international matches elsewhere. However, should the forthcoming reassessment at an ICC-approved testing center confirm that his bowling technique is now legal, he will be allowed to resume bowling in all formats of the game.
Even with this ban in place, Shakib is still permitted to play as a batsman in both domestic and international matches.
This news adds to what has been a challenging year for Shakib. His career has faced uncertainty due to his ties to politics as a Member of Parliament in the now-dissolved Awami League government. He has effectively stepped away from Test and T20I formats, with his request for a farewell Test match in Dhaka being turned down during a time of political unrest.
At present, Shakib is active in One Day Internationals (ODIs) but was not included in Bangladesh’s recent series against Afghanistan and the West Indies. He is playing in the Lanka T10 league, representing the Galle Marvels, but has opted not to bowl in his last two matches, including the one on Sunday.
As the cricketing world awaits the outcome of his reassessment, fans hope for Shakib’s swift return to form and to the bowling crease.
