Shakib’s image removed from SBNS

Premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been banned by ICC from all sorts of cricketing activities but still the 32-year-old's smiling face was displayed during the first two days of Bangladesh's lone Test against Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) in Mirpur.

Shakib is the goodwill ambassador of SMC, a company that is also the sponsor of the ongoing Zimbabwe series. The SMC-distributed umbrellas on the dug-out had Shakib's picture on it. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) however removed the umbrellas after questions were raised regarding exposure of the banned cricketer during an international series.

"The thing is that it is a sensitive issue as Shakib has been banned by ICC. It is a sensitive issue as this an ICC committed series and is being broadcasted all over the world. So, we decided to remove them [umbrellas]," explained BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury to The Daily Star today.