Shakib cleared to resume bowling in English county cricket

LONDON: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been given the green light to resume bowling in English county cricket after passing a reassessment of his bowling action. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that the 37-year-old successfully underwent testing at Loughborough University earlier this month.

“The re-assessment found that Shakib had remedied his action to within the prescribed 15-degree threshold as defined in the ECB Bowling Review Regulations,” the ECB stated.

Shakib’s action was initially reported by the on-field umpire during a match for Surrey against Somerset in September. A subsequent independent assessment at Loughborough found his action illegal, leading to a suspension from bowling on December 10.

The ban ruled him out of the Champions Trophy earlier this year, as Bangladesh opted against selecting him solely as a specialist batsman. Now, with his action cleared, Shakib is set to return to county cricket as a full all-rounder, boosting both his club and international prospects.