Five controversies involving Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan

In a fiery World Cup 2023 encounter, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan sparked a fresh debate about the spirit of cricket when Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews was dismissed as 'timed out.' This marked the first instance in the 146-year history of international cricket where such a dismissal occurred.

The former Sri Lanka skipper was declared out for not taking strike within the two-minute time limit when he walked out to bat during the match in New Delhi on Monday. Shakib initiated the appeal, which was supported by the on-field umpires, leading Mathews to criticize the Bangladesh captain as "disgraceful." This is also not the first time that the star Bangladesh player has been under the limelight for the wrong reasons. 

 Five controversies in which the star all-rounder has been involved:

1. Crotch of the matter

In 2014, Shakib gestured towards his crotch when TV cameras focused on him in the dressing room after his dismissal in a one-day international against Sri Lanka in Mirpur. Shakib was out for 24 in his team's chase of 290 at the Sher e Bangla National Stadium and he seemed frustrated after commentators discussed the dismissal at length.

The gesture from Shakib went live on TV and on the big screen at the ground and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) handed him a three-match ban for an "inappropriate gesture" and a fine of $3,800.

2. I quit through text message

The talismanic all-rounder also faced another controversy in 2014 when he decided to leave the national team via a text message to coach Chandika Hathurusingha and skipped a training camp. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) called him to Dhaka for this matter, but at that time, Shakib was in transit in London on his way to the West Indies for the Caribbean Premier League. As a consequence of his actions, he received a six-month ban for what was termed "serious misbehaviour," although this suspension was subsequently reduced to three-and-a-half months.

Kicking stumps in Bangladesh Premier League

Shakib displayed his anger towards a local umpire during a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match in 2015, resulting in a one-match ban and a $250 fine. This outburst occurred when his appeal against Mushfiqur Rahim was rejected, and he directed a series of abusive remarks at umpire Tanvir Ahmed.

In another incident in 2021, during a Dhaka Premier Division Twenty20 Cricket League game, Shakib lost his temper and kicked and uprooted the stumps in frustration. Later, he publicly apologized for his actions, acknowledging it as a "human error."

Asks his batters to come off the field

The Nidahas Trophy, a tri-nation tournament held in 2018 to commemorate Sri Lanka's independence, was marred by a heated contest and poor behaviour in the dressing room in Colombo. A closely-fought match between hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh became highly charged when the umpires reversed a no-ball decision. An agitated Shakib even approached the boundary to signal his batters to leave the field in protest.

Although the order was eventually restored, unruly scenes followed, including the shattering of a glass door in the Bangladesh dressing room. Shakib later issued an apology, acknowledging that the players, including himself, had allowed their emotions to get the better of them.

Anti-corruption ban

In 2019, Shakib received a two-year ban from the Apex Cricket Council (ACC) for not reporting corrupt approaches, including those in the Indian Premier League.

The ban resulted from Shakib admitting to three violations of the Anti-Corruption Code. These violations included his failure to disclose to the ACC’s Anti-Corruption Unit the complete details of approaches or invitations related to the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe Tri-Series in January 2018, as well as the 2018 IPL.