Bangladesh's veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been cleared to bowl after clearing the reassessment test. He had failed the test twice, following which he was suspended from bowling. The 37-year-old also missed the Champions Trophy for the same reason. However, on the third occasion, Shakib has managed to clear the air around his bowling action.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, Shakib had earmarked the Champions Trophy as his farewell tournament but with the selectors not picking him as only a specialist batter in the team, he missed the competition. Shakib himself confirmed the news of clearing the reassessment test. "The news is right (passing about the bowling test) and I am cleared to bowl again," he said.
For the unversed, Shakib Al Hasan's bowling action first came under scrutiny during the County Championship match for Surrey. The umpires from Surrey's match against Somerset deemed his action illegal in September 2024 and subsequently, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) suspended him from bowling. He underwent two separate reassessments, first in England and then in India, but failed on both occasions raising major questions of his return to the sport.
But Shakib has now cleared all the air and will be keen on returning to play for Bangladesh. He has already played his last Test and T20I for his country if his earlier comments are considered. He had stated in November 2024 that he would play the final Test of his career against South Africa in October. However, due to the political unrest in Bangladesh and the outrage against him in the country, Shakib didn't travel to Dhaka for the series. With the Champions Trophy done and the ODI World Cup still two years away, it remains to be seen if Shakib keeps on playing the format for his country.