Shakib Al Hasan requests BCB to reconsider his 6-months ban

Shakib Al Hasan

Suspended Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, speaking to the media at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) headquarters after filing a written plea to reconsider his 6-months ban, regretted his behaviour that led to the stringent disciplinary action being taken by the board.

"Nothing can be more painful than staying away from cricket. I sincerely apologise to the BCB and the Bangladesh cricket team if they are embarrassed at my behaviour," the 27-year-old said.

Not new to controversies:

Rated world No. 3 all-rounder in Tests and No. 2 in One Day Internationals and Twenty20 internationals, Shakib was banned from international cricket for “severe attitude problems”; his clash with the newly appointed coach Chandika Hathurusingha regarding the cutting down of his Caribbean Premier League (CPL) stint played as a catalyst.

Shakib’s, whose left-arm spin has fetched him 337 international wickets, is not new to controversies, having already been caught for his involvement in a brawl with spectators at the ground for harassing his wife in the middle of the recently concluded ODI series against India, which he refused later. He was also banned for 3 ODIs in February after “making an inappropriate gesture on live television” during a match against Sri Lanka.

An equally capable batsman, Shakib said: "The Bangladesh team is above everything to me. I always play for it giving everything and I will give everything for the Bangladesh team in future. I have grown up at the BCB with the Bangladesh team. It is a very emotional place for me. From that position I appeal to the board to reconsider my suspension."

"I am determined to behave in a more mature way in the future,” said the leading run-getter and wicket-taker in international cricket for Bangladesh. Shakib cannot participate in any of the T20 leagues – including the Champions League T20 and the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – as a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has been denied to him till the end of 2015, but he can return to international cricket arena in 6 months time.