Shakib on his illegal action for Surrey: 'I was doing it a little bit intentionally'

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has revealed that he had been bowling with an illegal action "a little bit intentionally" when he was reported for a suspect action and subsequently suspended after his county stint with Surrey in 2024.

Shakib had been suspended from bowling in all competitions organised by the ECB after his action was found illegal at an independent testing at Loughborough University in December last year. As per the ICC's regulations, his suspension was automatically enforced in international cricket.

"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.

"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'."

Shakib played just one game for Surrey last season and bowled 63.2 overs, split into 33.5 and 29.3 overs across the two innings. He was later cleared to bowl earlier this year after he gave his third bowling assessment test at Loughborough University in the UK. In the meantime he had 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.