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26 Sports Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Bangladesh captain Shakib banned for two years for graft: ICC Free to resume international cricket October 29, 2020 DHAKA: Bangladesh captain and star all-rounder Shakib for the India Tests and T20s today. But Bangladeshi Prime Al Hasan was banned yesterday from all cricket for two Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the country’s cricket years, with one year suspended, the International Cricket board “will always be with Shakib and will help him in Council (ICC) said. The ban came after Shakib “accepted every way.” three charges of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption She said that while match-fixers often contact players, Code”, the sport’s governing body said in a statement. Shakib’s “mistake is that when he was contacted he didn’t These included failing to disclose to the ICC’s Anti- give it too much importance. He didn’t inform... the ICC.” Corruption Unit full details of approaches or invitations Having grown up in a rural town west of the capital Dhaka, made in relation to the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Shakib burst into the international scene after excelling in Zimbabwe Tri-Series in January 2018 as well as the 2018 age-level cricket. Indian Premier League (IPL), it said. He is possibly Bangladesh’s most loved cricketer and The 32-year-old’s ban came as a blow to Bangladesh’s only last week successfully led a brief strike by preparations for next month’s tour of India where the all- Bangladesh’s professional cricketers to press for better rounder was set to lead the team for a two-Test series and pay and benefits. But this is not the first time the left arm three T20 international matches. orthodox spinner and left handed batsman has faced disci- Shakib, who has played 56 Test, 206 ODIs and 76 plinary actions. Twenty20 internationals, is by far Bangladesh’s best known In 2014, Shakib was suspended by the BCB from all player, having topped the ICC all-rounder rankings in all cricket for six months following “serious misbehaviour” three formats several times since 2009. with Bangladesh’s coach Chandika Hathurusingha, and for He starred for the team during the recent World Cup in his altercation with a spectator during a ODI against India England, where he scored over 600 runs and picked 11 in Dhaka. wickets. In the World Cup, he also became the fastest and “He has a severe attitude problem, which is unprece- only the fifth cricketer to reach 5,000 runs and 250 wick- dented in the history of Bangladesh cricket. We think that ets in ODIs. his behaviour is such that it’s directly impacting the team,” Shakib will be free to resume international cricket Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan told October 29, 2020 subject to him satisfying the conditions reporters at that time. in respect of the suspended part of the sanction, the ICC Last week Bangladesh cricket authorities said they said. “I am obviously extremely sad to have been banned would also take legal action against Shakib for allegedly from the game I love, but I completely accept my sanction breaching his contract to sign a sponsorship deal with a for not reporting the approaches,” Shakib was quoted as top mobile phone operator. saying in the ICC statement. Shakib inked the agreement with former national team DHAKA: Bangladesh national cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan (2R) speaks with media as Bangladesh There was no immediate comment from the country’s sponsor Grameenphone for an undisclosed sum at a time Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon (2L) stands next to him at the Sher-e-Bangla National cricket authorities who were expected to name the teams when he was also leading the players’ strike. — AFP Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. — AFP “We will closely monitor performances in this match as this month. The 21-year-old was released from a Test Test spots up for well as the coming rounds of the Sheffield Shield before series against Sri Lanka last season to deal with mental deciding upon our squad for the two-Test series against health issues. Pakistan,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. A recent double century from his Victoria teammate grabs with Carey to Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting recently Maddinson has seen both batsmen thrust into international Netherlands secure declared Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and, despite contention. captain Australia A his poor Ashes form, David Warner the only sure starters “Both are exciting batsmen whom we’ve had our eye on T20 WCup spot, UAE for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan. for some time,” Hohns said. Carey, who is vice captain of Australia’s One-Day and Exciting paceman Jhye Richardson will make his come- SYDNEY: Australian selectors yesterday flagged a num- T20 teams, had a strong performance with both bat and back from a shoulder injury after missing out on the World have last chance ber of batting spots still up for grabs in the upcoming Test gloves in the World Cup. Cup and the Ashes series. series against Pakistan, with an A side promising a run-off The South Australian was unlucky to miss out on an He will be joined in the bowling attack by Michael PARIS: The Netherlands became the third team, after among a number of contenders. Ashes berth, with captain Tim Payne the prefered wicket- Neser, Sean Abbott and Riley Meredith. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey will lead Australia A in a keeper and Mathew Wade as back up. Pakistan will take on Australia A on October 31 for the Papua New Guinea and Ireland, to book a place at next three-day match against Pakistan ahead of a Test series, “This fixture represents an opportunity to provide Alex three-day tour match in Sydney ahead of a two Test series year’s T20 World Cup after thrashing United Arab pushing his case for Test selection. with more leadership experience and he will be supported against Australia in Brisbane and Adelaide in November. Emirates in Dubai yesterday. Joe Burns, who was controversially left out of the Ashes by two experienced vice-captains in Usman Khawaja and Australia A squad: Alex Carey (c), Marcus Harris, Joe UAE, who started the tournament with victory over squad, will join Marcus Harris at the top of the order, with Travis Head,” Hohns said. Burns, Usman Khawaja, Will Pucovski, Travis Head, Nic Ireland, could only muster 80-9 in their 20 overs which Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson and rising Young gun Pucovski will eye a return to the interna- Maddinson, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Sean Abbott, the Dutch knocked off with 29 balls remaining. star Will Pucovski rounding out the top six. tional stage after a strong first class hundred for Victoria Riley Meredith. — AFP The Netherlands, who face Ireland in the competi- tion semi-final, won by eight wickets to progress to the eight-team first round of the World Cup in Australia in to bat in his first full international on home soil since serv- October 2020. Australia skipper ing a 12-month ball-tampering ban. Finch said he wanted UAE have a final chance to reach the tournament his batsmen to be ready to play anywhere in the order when they face Scotland in a qualifying playoff today. according to match situations, to make the team more UAE won the toss and chose to bat, but were quickly Finch backing competitive when they host the T20 World Cup. in trouble as Rohan Mustafa fell to Fred Klaasen in the “I think at all times, you’ll see four or five guys in the first over. Things turned from bad to worse as UAE lost Agar to become sheds with their pads on,” said Finch. “To be really flexible their first five wickets for just nine runs. as a middle order, prepared to go in at any stage, is impor- Waheed Ahmed and Mohammad Boota went some T20 ‘finisher’ tant to catch teams off guard. way toward repairing the damage with a sixth-wicket “If you’ve got left and right-hand combinations, there’s partnership of 45 before both fell in the same over to a few options there, so it’s a nicely balanced side at the Johannesburg-born Brandon Glover, whose 4-12 earned MELBOURNE: Australia captain Aaron Finch is hoping moment.” With the T20 World Cup the only major piece of him the Player of the Match award. spin bowler Ashton Agar can blossom into a swashbuck- silverware missing in Australia’s bursting trophy cabinet, Ahmed Raza top-scored with 22 from 24 balls, but a Cricket Australia have scheduled a glut of T20 matches to ling “finisher” in the batting lineup to give the team more Ashton Agar target of 81 was never likely to stretch the Dutch. Max help the world’s fifth-ranked team build. flexibility ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup. O’Dowd fell early but Ben Cooper, with 41 not out, guid- “It’s a really great time to be playing T20 cricket for Left-arm spinner Agar, who has averaged 13.66 with real finisher towards the back end of an innings in T20 and Australia because you’re getting enough game time to ed the Dutch to a victory that sends them to Australia as the bat from 16 T20Is, was named at seven in the batting in one-day games. “So if he can keep developing that, it’ll start to develop that squad mentality,” said Finch. “Now well as to the qualifying tournament semifinals. — AFP order in the series-opener against Sri Lanka on Sunday give you a lot of options to play that second spinner or go we’ve got a specific date in mind, which is the start of the but went unused as Australia’s top order dominated in the with four quicks, or if there’s another all-rounder that World Cup, to really build that 12-month foundation of a 134-run victory.