Shakib Al Hasan, the star Bangladesh all-rounder, has been asked to undergo an official review of his bowling action by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). This request came after on-field umpires raised concerns about the legality of his action during his one-off appearance for Surrey in the County Championship. The 37-year-old all-rounder was reported by umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and David Millns after delivering more than 63 overs during a crucial match against Somerset at Taunton in September, reported ESPNcricinfo.
The fixture marked Shakib’s return to the County Championship for the first time since his stint with Worcestershire in 2010-11. He joined Surrey on a short-term contract, stepping in to support their push for a third consecutive Championship title at a time when Surrey’s ranks were thinned due to eight players’ absence on England duty.
Notably, both of Surrey’s frontline spinners, Will Jacks and Dan Lawrence, were unavailable.
Despite Shakib’s impressive showing, where he claimed nine wickets, Somerset managed a remarkable comeback, securing a 111-run victory and temporarily halting Surrey’s title march.
While Shakib was not penalised with any no-balls for throwing during the match, the umpires nevertheless deemed his action to be “suspect,” raising enough concern for the ECB to initiate a review.
Currently, Shakib is not suspended from playing, and negotiations are underway to arrange for him to undergo an official analysis in an approved testing facility.
ESPNcricinfo has reported that the evaluation is likely to take place in the coming weeks.
This marks the first time Shakib’s bowling action has come under scrutiny in his extensive career. Over two decades, Shakib has made a significant impact on the global cricketing stage, amassing a total of 712 wickets across 447 international matches, including 246 in 71 Test matches.
The scrutiny over Shakib’s action comes as his international career is already in a state of uncertainty. Last month, he withdrew from Bangladesh’s Test squad set to face South Africa in Mirpur, citing security concerns, which sparked protests in Bangladesh. The withdrawal followed Shakib’s political involvement with the Awami League-led government, which was recently unseated in a historic student-led protest movement in July.
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