Shakib Al Hasan has been restricted to playing as a batsman in international cricket and all domestic leagues outside Bangladesh after failing the ECB’s bowling action test.
The punishment for Shakib’s flawed bowling action, detected during his stint in county cricket, has now intensified. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has banned Shakib from bowling not only in their competitions but also in all global leagues except for Bangladesh’s domestic cricket.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a statement on Sunday clarifying the situation regarding Shakib’s bowling action and the resulting sanctions.
In early September, Shakib played a County Division One match for Surrey against Somerset, where he bowled a total of 63 overs across both innings, taking nine wickets with exceptional performances. However, nearly two months later, it was revealed that umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and David Millns from that match had reported suspicions about Shakib’s bowling action. Interestingly, despite the concerns, the umpires did not call a single no-ball during his 63 overs in the game.
Following the report, Shakib underwent a bowling action test earlier this month at the ICC-accredited lab at Loughborough University. Unfortunately, he failed to pass, leading to an immediate ban on his bowling in all ECB competitions.
The BCB, in its statement, explained: “Under Article 11.3 of the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations, when a cricket board imposes a bowling ban on a player, the restriction automatically applies to international cricket and all domestic competitions in other countries.”
This means Shakib’s bowling is now banned not just in England but also in any competition organized by cricket boards worldwide, including international cricket. However, he is still allowed to bowl in Bangladesh’s domestic leagues.
As per Article 11.4 of the ICC’s regulations, Shakib must now retake the bowling action test at an ICC-approved laboratory. He will only be allowed to resume bowling if he successfully passes the test.
Until then, Shakib can participate in international and overseas leagues only as a batsman. His ban became effective immediately after the ECB’s decision was announced last Friday.
Currently, Shakib is playing for Galle Marvels in the Lanka T10 League. Since the ECB’s decision, he has been unable to bowl in the two matches held on Saturday and Sunday.
