BCB director questions Shakib’s axing

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director Enayet Hossain Siraj has questioned the axing of Shakib Al Hasan as captain, as the authorities begin shopping for a new skipper ahead of the West Indies tour. Shakib, appointed for the 2009 tour of the Caribbean, was dismissed from the post following Bangladesh’s disappointing tour of Zimbabwe recently. Siraj, who did not attend the board meeting at which the decisions were taken, was highly critical of the process used to get rid of Shakib. “Even a person condemned to death gets the opportunity to defend himself. My question is, was Shakib given this opportunity? I don’t think so,” Siraj argued. “There is a code of conduct for the contracted players and you have to first see whether they breach it or not before taking any disciplinary action. And without any hearing you can’t reach a final decision.” In explaining the BCB’s decision, media chairman Jalal Younus said earlier this month that Shakib, and his deputy Tamim Iqbal, had failed to control the team. “We thought they could improve their behaviour,” Younus explained.