Remorseful Shakib Al Hasan warns players to take corrupt approaches seriously

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Star Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has spoken publicly for the first time since his one year ban from the game expired issuing a warning to players to take corrupt approaches seriously.

Shakib was handed the sanction for failure to report a corrupt approach and urged other players not to fall into the same trap he did.

Shakib warns others against failure to report

The versatile left-arm spinner is perhaps the greatest cricketer to have pulled on a Bangladesh shirt but realises that he made a silly mistake by failing to report an approach.

“I regret getting suspended, and I was repentant,” Shakib said in a YouTube video. “I shouldn’t have made this mistake. I think I will get a great lesson out of it. I would urge everyone not to make this mistake. Whenever a similar situation arises, you should abide by your responsibility according to the ICC code of conduct.

“You should inform an anti-corruption officer, whether local or international. We are all well aware of the procedure. Don’t make this mistake of not informing them. Don’t take it lightly. Rather than getting influenced by it, you must report it immediately.”

Shakib revealed that he played in the 2019 World Cup with an ICC investigation hanging over him, making it difficult for him to focus on the job at hand.

The killer uncertainty

The Bangladesh star said that the uncertainty throughout the process impacted his mental health.

 “I think it was very challenging,” Shakib said. “The investigation was going on for a long time, and they were in continuous contact with me. It was an uncomfortable situation for me. It is nothing nice for any cricketer, and it’s not great to go to sleep on.

“I knew something was going to happen, although I did consider that nothing might happen. I wasn’t sure of the punishment. By the time I knew about it, you were also aware of it. The investigation period wasn’t certainly an easy one for me.”

Shakib claims that his suspension and the global pandemic have given him a fresh perspective on life and he is determined to make the most of the remainder of his career.

“Corona and my suspension have taught me to think differently about my life. I believe only a struggle can make a person think in this way. When a person comes back from such circumstances, they do it strongly. I think very differently now, and that’ll help me in my life.”

It is unclear when Shakib will be out on the park again with Bangladesh’s schedule decimated by the pandemic. The Tigers proposed tour to Sri Lanka fell through, and their next scheduled match is in March when they are set to visit New Zealand.

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