LISTICLE
Follow UsShakib Al Hasan has attracted controversies as much as he has attracted runs and wickets in his star-studded career. In the latest controversy, his Global T20 League team, Bangla Tigers Mississauga, allegedly refused to play the Super Over in the Eliminator against Toronto Nationals on August 10 (Saturday).
While you can read the full story here in the words of the team owner and CEO himself, we look back at Shakib’s history of misconduct that doesn’t look good on a player of his stature.
Threatening the ground staff, 2010
In one of the earlier incidents, Shakib threatened a ground staff member with a bat during an ODI match between Bangladesh and New Zealand in 2010. In the 39th over of Bangladesh’s innings who were batting first, Shakib got annoyed with constant disturbance around the sightscreen.
The skipper of the side then, Shakib, received a warning from the match referee, but no further action was taken. He went on to score 106 and was named the Player of the Match in Bangladesh’s win.
Flicking the finger, 2011
Bangladesh were bowled out for 58 in a 2011 World Cup fixture against West Indies in Mirpur. The crowd was furious at this shambolic performance but castigated the West Indies side by pelting stones at their team bus. Before that, they conveyed their disappointment at the home side with boos. Shakib didn’t take it well and showed middle finger to the crowd. The board didn’t take any action.
Another inappropriate gesture, 2014
While the commentator elaborated on how Shakib “threw his wicket away” in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2014, the all-rounder gestured towards his crotch while sitting in the dressing room. He did that, presuming the camera would pan on him, and the footage was shown on live television.
The incident occurred in the 33rd over of the second ODI. Shakib had no knowledge of the conversation in the commentary box but got annoyed with the cameras constantly showing him sitting in the dressing room, along with the replay of his dismissal. It was Shakib’s way of getting back at the broadcasters, which you may find shocking, outright hilarious, or embarrassing to watch, depending on which generation you belong to. His teammate Shafiul Islam, sitting next to him, started laughing.
This inappropriate act caused the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to pull the plug on their star all-rounder. He was fined BDT 300,000 and banned from three games – the last ODI against Sri Lanka and the fixtures against India and Afghanistan in the subsequent Asia Cup.
Altercation with fan, 2014
Later that year, Shakib was alleged to have a row with a spectator who was apparently harassing his wife. The incident occurred in the first ODI against India in June and is believed to have taken place during the rain break.
Shakib denied the claims of any physical altercation but admitted he was present at the scene. He insisted that he could be charged for leaving the dressing room which is against the rules.
“I did not raise my hand. There were others, there was security, but I did not raise my hand. But yes, I was there," Shakib said at the BCB hearing after the three-ODI series against India.
Threatening to retire, 2014
Well, it’s still 2014. Shakib didn’t get off to a good start with the new head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, threatening him to retire from international cricket on text.
The whole situation began with Shakib seeking a NOC from BCB to participate in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The board rejected the certificate but the left-hander was on his way to the West Indies when Hathurusingha asked him to return for a training camp. Shakib replied the new coach with a threat to retire from Tests and T20Is.
"He has a severe attitude problem, which is unprecedented in the history of Bangladesh cricket. We think that his behaviour is directly impacting the team," said BCB president Nazmul Hassan as the board announced a six-month suspension for Shakib. Later, it was reduced to three and a half months and Shakib featured in the home series against Zimbabwe in November.
Disagreements with the umpire, 2015 & 2023
During a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fixture in 2015, Shakib openly abused the umpire for turning down an LBW appeal. He was suspended for one match and fined BDT 20,000 for his misconduct against Tanvir Ahmed.
In another BPL match in 2023, he openly yelled at the square-leg umpire for not giving a wide. The replays suggested it was a wide, but Shakib’s argument with the umpire didn’t reflect his experience of 18 years.
Ban from ICC, 2019
In October 2019, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Shakib from international cricket for two years on grounds of three charges of breaching the anti-corruption code.
Shakib accepted that he didn’t report three approaches from a bookie. Two of them were in 2018 — one during the tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and the other in the Indian Premier League (IPL) while representing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The suspension came with a cooling period, and Shakib was free to resume international duties post-October 29, 2020. Thus, the star all-rounder didn’t play any international cricket after a stellar World Cup personally (606 runs, 11 wickets).
Furious with umpires again, 2021
In one of his most viral outbursts, Shakib kicked down the stumps to express his disagreement with an on-field decision. The incident happened in a Dhaka Premier League (DPL) clash in 2021.
Leading the Mohammedan Sporting Club against Abahani Limited, the left-arm spinner was furious at the umpire Imran Parvez for turning down an LBW appeal. He immediately kicked down the stumps at the non-striker’s end and inquired the umpire about his decision. But that wasn’t it.
In the next over, the umpires called for the covers as rain started to fall. As the groundsmen ran in, Shakib, still angered with the appeal struck down in the previous over, questioned the umpire Mahfuzur Rahman while standing at extra cover. The left-hander uprooted all three stumps with his hands during the squabble and threw them on the ground. Considering that his team was ahead on the DLS par score further underlined Shakib’s actions as perplexing. The ground staff stood in the cover region, holding the covers as the verbal argument continued around the pitch for a few more minutes.
Shakib issued an apology on his Facebook page later but it remained an unprecedented incident from a top-level cricketer in a tournament that included many other senior Bangladesh players.
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