On Tuesday (January 14), a group of Shakib fans staged a human chain in front of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, holding banners that read, “We stand by Shakib.” They demanded that Shakib be given a chance to play in the Champions Trophy squad.
However, the reason for Shakib’s omission is tied to a different issue. Last year, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) imposed a ban on his bowling due to a suspect bowling action. According to ICC regulations, a sanction from any cricket board extends to all ICC-recognized matches.
Shakib has twice undergone bowling action tests but failed to clear them, which means he currently cannot bowl in international cricket. Considering this, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided not to include him in the Champions Trophy squad.
Chief Selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu explained, “Shakib is in the process of resolving the issue with his bowling action. However, since the test results remain negative, he can only play as a batsman. When assembling the team combination, we could not find room for him as a batsman-only option in the 15-member squad.”
It’s worth noting that, although the Champions Trophy squad has already been announced, changes can still be made until February 12.
