Bangladesh Test and T20I captain Shakib al Hasan has accepted the sanction dished out by the International Cricket Council upon him.
The ace all-rounder Tuesday was handed a two-year ban, with one year of that suspended, after he accepted three charges of breaching the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code of failing to disclose to the ACU or any other concerned authority in full details of any approaches or invitations he had received to engage in corrupt conduct.
A dejected Shakib arrived to the Bangladesh Cricket Board following the announcement by the ICC Tuesday evening.
The southpaw met the BCB president Nazmul Hasan and other influential members of the board before talking to the eagerly waiting media.
@BCBtigers president Nazmul Hasan said BCB will stand beside @Sah75official in this tough time and that the board hopes he will come back as a better and wiser cricketer and serve Bangladesh for many more years when his sanction will be over.https://t.co/TrMv6yTY4o#BCB #TIGERS
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) October 29, 2019
“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 playing a central part in the fight against corruption and I didn’t do my duty in this instance,” said Shakib while a good number of supporters present at the BCB VIP gate were chanting against the ICC verdict.
“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 program and ensure young players don’t make the same mistake I did,” he added.
Shakib pressed on taking the ICC Code Of Conduct seriously and complying with the regulations as stated.
Regarding directing and guiding the current cricketers and also those who are upcoming, the 32-year old Shakib said, “I would like the current cricketers and the upcoming cricketers to be careful. It was my mistake to have not informed the ACU immediately. At the same time, I would like to thank all my well wishers, cricketers, friends and media for the support that has been put up for me in this tough time. Cricket is my passion and I look forward to coming back strongly when it’s time.”
PM: #BCB to stand beside Shakib https://t.co/ypaRUO2F9O
— DhakaTribune (@DhakaTribune) October 29, 2019
Shakib’s absence in the national camp for the tour of India had raised many eyebrows.
It was widely discussed that the recent dispute between the players and the board and Shakib’s signing with a telecom brand had heated up relations between the two parties, particularly with Nazmul.
However, as it is established now, Shakib knew that the verdict was coming from the ICC, which he informed to the BCB chief and others.
It is understood that Shakib was asked not to participate in the national camp given the ICC announcement was due any day.
