Shakib Al Hasan illegal bowling action Surrey podcast confession

Bangladesh’s star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has opened up about the incident surrounding his bowling suspension, revealing that he bowled with an illegal action “a little bit intentionally” while turning out for Surrey in the 2024 County Championship. The 37-year-old admitted that fatigue played a massive role during the match, which eventually led to his reported suspect action and subsequent ban.

Suspension and Testing

Shakib was barred from bowling in all ECB-organised tournaments after independent tests at Loughborough University confirmed his action to be illegal. As per ICC regulations, the suspension automatically extended to international cricket as well.

The veteran cricketer reflected on the situation with no complaints, acknowledging that the officials acted according to the rulebook.

Shakib Explains What Happened

Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast, Shakib shared that he had bowled over 70 overs in one game, an extremely rare workload for him.

“I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs. I was so tired… The only thing I thought the umpire could have done was just warn me first. But it is in the rules, so I didn’t complain,” said Shakib.

The match he referred to was Surrey vs Somerset in Taunton, where Shakib bowled 63.2 overs across both innings.

Failed and Cleared After Multiple Tests

Following the ban, Shakib underwent biomechanical tests and initially failed his second assessment in Chennai. This also resulted in him missing Champions Trophy selection, despite being available as a batter.

However, after undergoing further correctional training and later attending his third assessment test at Loughborough, he successfully remodeled his action and was cleared to bowl again.

“I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, ‘It’s so easy’,” he added, explaining how quickly he was able to correct his action once monitored.

Short County Stint

Shakib played only one match for Surrey in 2024, and despite exhaustion, he made an impact by taking nine wickets in the game. His bowling suspension followed soon after, leading him to work on his action before returning to competitive cricket.

Conclusion

Shakib Al Hasan’s honest revelation offers a rare insight into player workload, fatigue, and technical discipline in professional cricket. While the incident led to suspension, his swift correction and clearance underline his resilience and experience as one of Bangladesh’s all-time greats.

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