Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in all cricket competitions run by ICC-approved national federations, including both domestic and international formats. The announcement was made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday, following findings from an independent assessment of his bowling action.
Shakib underwent an independent analysis at Loughborough University earlier this month, where it was determined that the elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the permissible 15-degree threshold defined by ICC regulations. As a result, Shakib is prohibited from bowling in competitions organized by all ICC member boards, including the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), where he was initially suspended on Saturday.
In its statement, the BCB confirmed, “The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been informed that national team all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in competitions under the jurisdiction of the ECB. As a result, Shakib is also suspended from bowling in domestic cricket competitions outside Bangladesh and in international cricket.”
The statement also highlighted that Shakib can only return to bowling if he passes another independent reassessment of his bowling action. “Should the results of this [reassessment] analysis clear his action, Shakib will be permitted to bowl in international cricket and in domestic cricket competitions under the jurisdiction of all national cricket federations,” the BCB added.
The 37-year-old missed his farewell Test match against South Africa in Mirpur amid protests in Dhaka, which added to his woes. He was also excluded from Bangladesh’s ODI squads for the series against Afghanistan and the West Indies, leaving him sidelined from international cricket since the India tour.
In Shakib’s absence, Bangladesh has struggled on the field. The team faced a 2-1 ODI series loss to Afghanistan and was recently whitewashed in a 3-0 defeat by the West Indies.
To regain his eligibility to bowl, Shakib will need to pass an independent reassessment and demonstrate compliance with ICC regulations. Until then, he remains barred from bowling in all competitions, domestic or international, under ICC-approved national federations.