“Bit intentionally…”- Shakib Al Hasan drops surprising statement on illegal bowling action

Bangladesh’s veteran all-rounder and the former captain, Shakib Al Hasan, has looked back at his suspension from the England Cricket Board (ECB) over the bowling action. He was found guilty when he was the representative of Surrey in the County Championship in the 2024/25 season. A year after the incident, he revealed that he did that intentionally.

Shabib informed that it was the first time he had bowled that many (70) overs in his career, and also hoped that the umpire would have warned him about it. The left-arm spinner played two successive red-ball games in Pakistan before flying to England.

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

Shakib Al Hasan drops stunning statement on his illegal bowling action from ECB

Shakib has overall smashed 6536 runs in 196 innings in first-class cricket at an average of 36.11 with the help of eight centuries and 41 half-centuries. He has also picked up 355 wickets in 108 games at an average of 30.34, thanks to 25 five-wicket hauls.

“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 in the same podcast.

“I went to do the test, and 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'.” The left-arm spinner shed light.