Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will take over the reins of the T20 team after almost three years when the Tigers take on Afghanistan in an Asia Cup match in Sharjah on Tuesday.
Shakib, the leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, is set to play his 100 th match in the shortest format, becoming only the third player from his country to do so, after Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah.
The 35-year-old, despite his intermittent appearances in international cricket of late, is ranked second amongst all-rounder in T20Is, first in ODIs and third in Tests.
However, his reappointment as captain and imminent historic feat come close on the heels of yet another controversy. On August 11, Shakib had to cancel an endorsement deal with a betting website to save his place in the national team hours after the Bangladesh Cricket Board issued an ultimatum to the all-rounder. Two days later, on August 13, Shakib was named captain of the side, leading into the Asia Cup.
This wasn’t the first time that Shakib found himself in the soup. Here is a look at a few controversies the all-rounder has been involved in.
2021: Outburst against umpire in Dhaka Premier League
In June 2021, Shakib was banned for three Dhaka Premier League matches and fined Taka 5 lakh after his outburst against umpiring decisions. The all-rounder first kicked the stumps in anger after the umpire turned down his appeal for LBW against Mushfiqur Rahim and followed it by uprooting the stumps at the non-striker’s end in frustration when the umpire decided to stop play due to rain.
2019: Suspension by ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches
In October 2019, Shakib, then ODI captain and reigning No. 1 all-rounder, was handed a two-year ban by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches on three occasions. It was effectively a one-year ban, with the next 12 months of the suspension only coming into effect if Shakib didn’t comply with the anti-corruption code. The ban came just a few months after Shakib had a stellar campaign in the 2019 World Cup, where he had become the first player in the history of the World Cup to score 500 runs and pick 10-plus wickets in a single edition.
2018: Asking players to leave the field during Nidahas Trophy
Shakib courted controversy during a virtual semifinal against Sri Lanka in the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 when he asked his batters to come off the field following a questionable umpiring decision. With 12 runs needed off the last five balls, Mushfiqur Rahim was run out off a delivery that was initially called a no-ball by the square-leg umpire. However, the ball was eventually deemed legal after the umpire reversed his decision, prompting Shakib to ask the batters to leave the field. The game continued, however, and Bangladesh eventually sealed a thrilling two-wicket win.
2014: Threatening to quit national team
In July 2014, Shakib threatened toquit the national team after Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha refused to allow the all-rounder to complete his commitments in the Caribbean Premier League for Barbados Tridents ahead of a bilateral series in West Indies. The Bangladesh Cricket Board responded by banning Shakib for six months and denying him NOCs to play in domestic T20 league till the end of 2015. The suspension was later reduced to three-and-a-half months.
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