ECB Bans Shakib Al Hasan From Bowling

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has banned Shakib Al Hasan from bowling due to a faulty action. The Bangladesh left-arm spinner will not be allowed to bowl in any ECB-organized competitions. This decision comes after Shakib’s bowling action was deemed illegal in a test conducted earlier this month.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Shakib underwent a bowling action test at the Medical Department of Loughborough University in England. The ECB received the results of the test on December 10, and the bowling ban has been effective since that day. Earlier, in September, umpires raised concerns about his action after he played a match for Surrey in the County Championship.

Shakib, who made his international debut in 2006, has played 447 matches across all formats, taking 712 wickets. He has been a regular player in franchise-based T20 leagues worldwide. However, his bowling action had never been questioned before this incident. In the second week of September, Shakib played a match for Surrey in the County Championship, where he bowled 63 overs across two innings, taking 9 wickets.

The news about Shakib's bowling action being questioned emerged nearly a month later. On December 2, Shakib underwent an action test, during which he bowled 4 overs. According to regulations, a bowler’s elbow should not bend more than 15 degrees during delivery. Shakib’s elbow was found to have exceeded the permitted limit, leading to the ban. However, the exact degree of his elbow’s bend has not been disclosed.

To be released from the ECB's ban, Shakib must undergo an action test at an independent assessment center. However, he is not prohibited from bowling outside of England.