Corruption ban for Bangladesh skipper
● Shakib didn’t reveal ‘approaches’ ● England beaten in T20 warm-up
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has been banned from cricket for a year for breaching the anti-corruption code.
His sanction from the International Cricket Council for failing to disclose full details of approaches he received to engage in corrupt conduct includes a further year’s ban, which is suspended.
Shakib admitted to three charges in January 2018 during the tri-series between Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and during the 2018 Indian Premier League.
Shakib, the Tigers’ Test and Twenty20 captain, agreed to the sanction in lieu of a hearing. The ban took effect from yesterday and rules the all-rounder out of the T20 World Cup, which starts on 18 October next year.
“I am extremely sad to have been banned from the game I love, but I completely accept my sanction for not reporting the approaches,” Shakib said in an ICC media release.
“The ACU [Anti-corruption Unit] is reliant on players to play a central part in the fight against corruption and I didn’t do my duty in this instance.”
Alex Marshall, the ICC general manager for integrity, said: “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.” Meanwhile, England slumped to an eight wicket defeat by a New Zealand XI in their final warm-up before their Twenty20 series against the Black Caps.
However, Lewis Gregory is backing Somerset teammate Tom Banton to flourish despite another low score for the opener. Banton amassed 2 Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan did not report ‘approaches’ to the ICC’S Anti-corruption Unit and has been banned for a year. 549 runs at an average of 42.23 in the Vitality Blast this year and 454 at 41.27 in Somerset’s triumphant Royal London One-day Cup campaign to earn selection for the five T20s against the Kiwis. The 20-yearold, though, has only 17 runs across England’s two practice matches and was dismissed for six off nine balls in Lincoln yesterday.
He remains in contention to partner Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order for Friday’s
opener in Christchurch and Gregory said: “He had an absolutely fantastic Vitality Blast. I watched him in the nets the other day, he was striking it pretty well, so if that opportunity comes for him I’m sure he’ll take it.
“There’s no real ceiling on him. He hits the ball 360 (degrees), he’s not too worried about what’s coming at him and he’s inventive and powerful. This format is seriously suited towards him and I’ve no doubt he will succeed at the highest level.”
Gregory will also be targeting a first international appearance after catching the eye with an entertaining cameo of 29 not out from 11 balls at the back end of England’s innings. The Somerset allrounder added: “I was expecting to be a little bit more nervous but when you’re going in with two and a half overs to go, it’s kind of ‘put your head down and swing as hard as you can’.”
Gregory leaked 27 runs from his two overs and put down a difficult chance off fellow newcomer Matt Parkinson as Colin Munro’s belligerent 107 not out from 57 balls saw the hosts overhaul England’s 188 for five with nine balls to spare.