Shakib Al Hasan banned from bowling by ECB after action deemed illegal

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has suspended Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan from bowling in all competitions under its jurisdiction after his bowling action was deemed illegal. The decision follows an independent assessment conducted at Loughborough University, which confirmed irregularities in the left-arm spinner’s action.

Shakib’s action was reported during his lone appearance for Surrey in a county match against Somerset in September, held in Taunton. On-field umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and David Millns raised concerns after Shakib claimed nine wickets in the game. He was subsequently required to undergo an analysis of his bowling action, which led to the suspension.

“Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in ECB competitions following an independent assessment of his bowling action.”

“Shakib’s action was reported by the standing umpires while he was playing for Surrey in the County Championship match against Somerset in September. Shakib completed an independent assessment at Loughborough University earlier this month, which found that the elbow extension in his bowling action exceeded the 15 degree threshold as defined in the Regulations.”

“This suspension takes effect from the receipt of the independent assessment on 10 December 2024, and follows the process set out in the ECB’s Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with a Suspected Illegal Bowling Action. Shakib is ineligible to bowl in ECB competitions until he has passed an independent re-assessment of his bowling action,” read the statement.

While Shakib’s current suspension is related to competitions in the UK, Section 11.3 of the ICC regulations for the review of bowlers states that the ban could beyond ECB-organised events, potentially impacting Shakib’s participation in international cricket and tournaments organised by other cricket boards. To resume bowling in England’s domestic circuit, Shakib will need to undergo a reassessment and receive clearance from the ECB.

Shakib’s appearance for Surrey was his first county stint since playing for Worcestershire in the 2010-11 season. He had joined Surrey for a short-term role as the team dealt with the absence of eight players due to England duties.

Notably, this is the first instance in Shakib’s 17-year career, spanning 447 matches and 712 international wickets, that his bowling action has been called into question.

Shakib has been absent from international cricket since the Test series against India in September-October. He had expressed interest in retiring from Test cricket during Bangladesh’s home series against South Africa, but security concerns kept him out of the squad. He also missed the ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE and Bangladesh’s tour of the West Indies, although he participated in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.