Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan was banned for two years – one of those to be suspended pending further breaches – by the International Cricket Council after he accepted breaching three charges of the Anti-Corruption Code of the cricket’s governing body.
Subject to him satisfying the conditions in respect of the suspended part of the sanction, he will be free to resume international cricket on 29 October, 2020 informed the governing body.
Shakib, widely regarded as the best cricketer to have come out of Bangladesh and the leading all-rounder in One-day International Cricket, in a statement, revealed that he had failed to report illegal approaches.
Bangladesh will be travelling to India soon and will play three Twenty20 Internationals and two Tests.
Shakib Al Hasan said, “I am obviously extremely sad to have been banned from the game I love, but I completely accept my sanction for not reporting the approaches. The ICC ACU is reliant on players to play a central part in the fight against corruption and I didn’t do my duty in this instance.
“Like the majority of players and fans around the world, I want cricket to be a corruption-free sport and I am looking forward to working with the ICC ACU team to support their education programme and ensure young players don’t make the same mistake I did.”
Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager, said: “Shakib Al Hasan is a highly experienced international cricketer. He has attended many education sessions and knows his obligations under the Code. He should have reported each of these approaches.
“Shakib has accepted his errors and cooperated fully with the investigation. He has offered to assist the Integrity Unit in future education, to help younger players to learn from his mistakes. I am happy to accept this offer.”
The charges levelled by the ICC on Shakib are as follows:
Article 2.4.4 – Failure to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations he received to engage in Corrupt Conduct – in relation to the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe tri-Series in January 2018 and/or the 2018 IPL.
Article 2.4.4 – Failure to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations he received to engage in Corrupt Conduct - in relation to a second approach in respect of the Tri-Series in January 2018.
Article 2.4.4 – Failure to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations he received to engage in Corrupt Conduct - in relation to an IPL 2018 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab on 26 April 2018.
The full decision by ICC is available here.