Did Shakib suggest Babar Azam was bowling with an illegal action during the Bangladesh-Pakistan thriller?

In the first innings of the second Bangladesh-Pakistan Test, Shakib Al Hasan seemed to question Babar Azam’s bowling action, with Mohammad Rizwan joking with his captain about the suggestion on-field.

This incident came soon after the Pakistan batter had bowled his first delivery in Test cricket. Shakib, who faced the ball, immediately lifted his left arm and gestured towards the square leg umpire, bending his elbow.

While it wasn’t clear what Shakib was saying, Rizwan then said, “Haath check kar iska”, (translated as ‘Check his hand’), – referring to Shakib’s hand gestures, an apparent suggestion that Shakib was asking the umpire to check on Babar’s bowling action.

Babar’s sole over in the first innings was wicketless, but he returned in the second innings to break Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s dogged resistance with a successful leg-before review. The wicket, his first in international cricket, broke the game open for Pakistan.  Bangladesh slumped from 198-6 to 205 all out, with Pakistan securing a 2-0 whitewash in the Test series, a potentially crucial result in the World Test Championship.

Babar’s action has been under the scanner in the past. He was banned from bowling at under-19 level, and had his action tested by the ICC in Brisbane in 2017, after he had made his Pakistan debut.

You can watch the incident here:

Babar has a better bowling action than who fans??? pic.twitter.com/fMUM66n7TU

— Taps Cricket Academy @Tapslua (@AcademyTaps) December 7, 2021

 

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