"Plot against him to portray him as the villain" - Shakib Al Hasan's wife reacts to all-rounder's on-field outburst
Bangladesh and Mohammedan Sporting Club all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has grabbed the headlines for all the wrong reasons after losing his cool during a Dhaka Premier League T20 game. However, the southpaw's wife Umme Ahmed Shishir has come out in defense of his husband, stating that it is a plot against Shakib to portray him as the villain.
The match between Mohammedan Sporting Club and Abahani Limited saw Shakib Al Hasan lose his cool twice. The first outburst happened when the umpire denied an LBW appeal against Mushfiqur Rahim, with Shakib going on to kick the stumps.
He was then seen running from mid-off to uproot all three stumps at the non-striker's end when the on-field umpires decided to call for a rain break.
Shakib's wife, Umme, took to Facebook to write about how the real issue of poor officiating was getting buried amidst the controversy surrounding his husband:
"I’m enjoying this incident as much as the media is, finally some news on tv! It is great to see the support of the people who can see the clear picture of today’s incident at least someone has the guts to stand against all odds. However it is sad to see the main issue getting buried by the media highlighting only the anger that he showed."
She stated how Shakib Al Hasan was being unfairly treated as the media was only covering his outburst instead of raising questions about umpiring. Umme added:
"The main issue is the ongoing eye catching decisions of the umpires! The headlines are really saddening. To me it is a plot against him that has been going on for a while to portray him as the villain in all circumstances! If you are a cricket lover beware of your actions!"
Shakib Al Hasan apologizes for his actions
Shakib Al Hasan was quick to realize his mistake, given the backlash in the media, and released a statement after the game, apologizing for his actions which he termed a "human error". Shakib wrote on his official Facebook account:
"Dear fans and followers, I am extremely sorry for losing my temper and ruining the match for everyone, especially those who are watching from home. An experienced player like me should not have reacted that way but sometimes, against all odds, it happens, I apologise to the teams, management, tournament officials and organizing committee for this human error."
Shakib Al Hasan made his return to international cricket earlier this year after he was handed a 12-month ban in 2019. The all-rounder was found guilty of three charges under the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code, where he failed to report an approach from a bookie.