Bangladesh's star all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, has been suspended from bowling in all ICC-approved competitions, both domestic and international, following a ruling from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday. The suspension comes after Shakib failed an independent assessment of his bowling action at Loughborough University, an ICC-accredited testing center in the UK.

Shakib, who had previously been reported for a suspect bowling action during an English county cricket match in September, was suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). In accordance with the International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations, the BCB confirmed that this suspension automatically extends to all ICC-approved competitions worldwide. This means Shakib is prohibited from bowling in both international cricket and domestic competitions outside Bangladesh.

The BCB issued a statement confirming the suspension, which will remain in effect until Shakib undergoes a reassessment of his action at an accredited testing center. Should the results of the reassessment clear his action, Shakib will be allowed to resume bowling in all formats of the game, both internationally and in domestic competitions governed by national cricket federations.

For now, Shakib is still eligible to play as a batter in all formats, both domestically and internationally.

The suspension caps a turbulent year for the 36-year-old all-rounder, whose international career had already been under strain due to his political involvement. Shakib, who had been serving as a Member of Parliament for the Awami League, found his cricketing future uncertain following widespread protests earlier this year, which resulted in several civilian deaths. These protests led to his effective retirement from Test and T20I cricket. Although he expressed his desire to play a farewell Test in Dhaka, his request was blocked by protesting students.

Despite these challenges, Shakib has continued to feature for Bangladesh in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). However, he was not selected for recent series against Afghanistan and the West Indies, and has since focused on playing in domestic competitions such as the Lanka T10 League, where he has not bowled in his last two matches for Galle Marvels.

Shakib's suspension from bowling is the latest chapter in a career that has seen both incredible achievements and notable controversies. As he awaits the results of his reassessment, cricket fans will be watching closely to see if the all-rounder can return to full competitive action.