'I was tired and bowled illegally,' admits Shakib on County suspension

The umpires called Shakib's action during a first-class game for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton in which he had bowled close to 65 overs across two innings.

Out-of-favour Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan admitted that physical fatigue forced him to intentionally resort to chucking during an English County game for Surrey, which subsequently led to his suspension from bowling.

Left-arm spinner Shakib was suspended from bowling in all competitions organised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after his action was deemed illegal at an independent testing at Loughborough University in December last year.

The umpires called his action during a first-class game for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton in which he had bowled close to 65 overs across two innings.

"I think I was doing it a little bit intentionally because I bowled more than 70 overs (in one match)," Shakib told the Beard Before Wicket podcast.

 

"I never bowled 70 overs in my career in a Test match. I was playing that four-day match for Surrey against Somerset in Taunton. I was so tired.

"I played back-to-back Test matches in Pakistan. We won that series and then I went to play those four-day matches. The only thing I was thinking the umpire could have done was just warn me first, at least. But it is in the rules, so they had the right. I didn't complain." 

  Shakib revealed that he failed the action correction test initially and later got his glitch corrected.

"I went to do the test, I failed. And then I saw my test. I was like, 'okay, so these things are happening'. Then I had to train for a couple of weeks so I went back to Surrey again and they were kind enough to help me. I did two sessions and I was back to normal. I was like, 'it's so easy'."  Soon-to-be 39 Shakib, a former Member of Bangladesh Parliament, had fled his country last year after Sheikh Hasina's government was overthrown. Since then, he has retired from Test cricket and has not been picked for white-ball teams.

Shakib had also failed a second bowling test in Chennai, after which the BCB selectors didn't pick him for the Champions Trophy. Even the board had clarified he was available to play as a batter in all forms of domestic and international cricket.