Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has encountered a setback while playing in English county cricket. Last September, he played a match for Surrey and took an impressive 9 wickets with his exceptional bowling performance. However, recent reports suggest that one of the two on-field umpires in that match raised concerns about Shakib’s bowling action to the match referee, who mentioned it in the match report. Subsequently, the matter was investigated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) under the County Championship authorities. Following the investigation, they decided that if Shakib ever returns to play county cricket, he must first undergo a test to assess his bowling action. Shakib has already been informed of this decision.
This is troubling news for Shakib, who is already facing challenging times due to his political affiliations. As a former member of parliament from the ousted Awami League government, he has refrained from returning to Bangladesh, citing risks as he faces charges related to a murder case.HOSSAIN SHANTO
The scrutiny on Shakib’s bowling action is currently limited to county cricket. However, since the issue was flagged by the ECB, it’s likely that umpires in other tournaments will also keep a close watch on his bowling action. Consequently, Shakib now faces a tough challenge on the cricket field, in addition to his off-field issues.
