Shakib Al Hasan, the top most senior cricketer from Bangladesh, has made a surprising confession about why he was banned from bowling. This happened after his short time playing county cricket for Surrey in 2024. Shakib Al Hasan admitted he was bowling with a throwing action—which is against the rules—“a little bit intentionally” when he was reported.
The problem started when his bowling action was judged to be suspicious. He was tested at Loughborough University in December and his action was found to be illegal. Because of this, the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) banned him from bowling in all their games. This ban was also applied to international matches because of ICC rules.
In an interview on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Shakib explained his actions were caused by being extremely tired. “I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs [in one match],”
Shakib Al Hasan explained. “I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match.” His schedule was very demanding; he played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan before the Surrey match against Somerset. “I was so tired,” he confessed.
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While he accepted the rule, Shakib Al Hasan felt the umpire could have just warned him first. “But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn’t complain.”
After failing the first test, he quickly fixed his action. He went back to Surrey, who kindly helped him train. “I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘it’s so easy’,” he remembered.
Shakib Al Hasan was finally allowed to bowl again earlier this year after passing his third bowling test at Loughborough. Before this, he had failed a second test in Chennai.
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As a result, the Bangladesh selectors did not pick him for the Champions Trophy, even though he could have played just as a batter. Shakib played only one match for Surrey, bowling 63.2 overs, before the bowling ban took effect.