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Friday March 29, 2024

I will come back stronger: Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan pleads for support from the cricketing fraternity

By AFP
October 30, 2019
The suspended Bangladesh star vows to come back stronger. Photo: AFP

Suspended Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan on Tuesday vowed to return "stronger" after he completes his ban and pleaded for support from the cricketing fraternity

The International Cricket Council (ICC) handed Shakib a two-year ban from cricket, with one year suspended, after he failed to inform authorities about being approached by a bookmaker on multiple occasions in 2018.

"Those who have supported me over the years I hope they, the fans, Bangladesh Cricket Board, the government, the journalists will continue to support me in my bad and good time," Shakib told reporters in Dhaka hours after the ban was announced.

"If you continue your support, I am hopeful I will come back to cricket soon. I will be stronger and will perform my responsibilities with more sincerity," he said.

Shakib will be free to resume international cricket from October 29, 2020 subject to his satisfying the conditions in respect to the suspended part of the sanction, the ICC said.

Read also: 'Inside info' reveals how Shakib was approached by bookie Deepak Agarwal

The ban effectively ruled out Shakib from next year's ICC World T20, which will be held from October 8 to November 15 in Australia.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) praised Shakib for his cooperation with the ICC investigators and promised its full support for him.

"While the BCB is shocked and extremely disappointed that an experienced player like Shakib had failed to report a corrupt approach on three occasions, at the same time we are pleased that he has cooperated fully with the ICC ACU and has pledged his commitment to its education programme," BCB president Nazmul Hassan said in a statement.

"We hope he will come back as a better and wiser cricketer and serve Bangladesh for many more years when his sanction will be over. During the suspension the BCB will continue to support his efforts at returning to cricket," he said.

Shakib, who has played 56 Tests, 206 ODIs and 76 T20 internationals, is by far Bangladesh's best known player, having topped the ICC all-rounder rankings in all three formats several times since 2009.

He starred for the team during the recent World Cup in England, where he scored over 600 runs and collected 11 wickets.

In the World Cup, he also became the fastest and only the fifth cricketer to reach 5,000 runs and 250 wickets in ODIs.

The suspension against Shakib came at a time when he was at loggerheads with Bangladesh cricket officials after leading a player revolt last week.

Read more: Shakib 'extremely sad' after ICC bans him for 2 years

The country's cricket board said on Saturday they would take legal action against all-rounder Shakib for allegedly breaching his contract to sign a sponsorship deal with a top mobile phone operator.

The turmoil over Shakib came just days before Bangladesh were to embark on their first-ever full-pledged bilateral series in India featuring three T20 internationals and two Tests.

Shakib was expected to lead the team in both series.