Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been called for an official review of his bowling action by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The request came after an on-field referee raised concerns about the legality of his actions during a 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 bowling 63 overs in a crucial match against Somerset at Taunton in September, ESPNcricinfo reported.
The match marks Shakib’s first return to the County Championship since his spell with Worcestershire in 2010-11. He joined Surrey on a short-term contract, stepping in to support their push for a third successive Championship title when Surrey’s ranks were thinned by the absence of eight players on England duty.
Notably, Surrey’s frontline spinners Will Jacks and Dan Lawrence were both unavailable.
Despite an impressive showing from Shakib, who took nine wickets, Somerset managed a remarkable comeback to secure a 111-run win and temporarily halt Surrey’s title march.
Shakib did not receive any punishment for throwing the ball during the match, but his actions were nonetheless deemed “suspicious” by the referee, raising enough concerns for the ECB to launch a review.
Currently, Shakib has not been suspended from competition and negotiations are ongoing to allow him to undergo official analysis at an approved testing facility.
ESPNcricinfo reports that the evaluation will take place in the coming weeks.
This is the first time Shakib’s bowling action has come under scrutiny in his extensive career. Over a period of over two decades, Shakib has had a significant impact on the global cricket stage, taking a total of 712 wickets in 447 international matches, including 246 wickets in 71 Test matches.
The scrutiny of Shakib’s actions comes as his international career is already in limbo. Last month, he withdrew from the Bangladesh Test squad to face South Africa in Mirpur citing security concerns, sparking protests in Bangladesh. The withdrawal follows Shakib’s political involvement in the Awami League-led government, which was recently ousted in a historic student-led protest movement in July.
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