Shakib to be dropped from team if he doesn’t cancel deal with BetWinner

There has been a lot of chatter regarding the squad announcement ahead of the Asia Cup and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan being the ambassador of a news portal - BetWinner News - which is also a sister concern of an online betting site. After a closed-door meeting with the BCB officials on Thursday, the board president Nazmul Hassan has implied that they wouldn't change their stance on Shakib's BetWinner issue. 

Previously, Nazmul stated that the board wouldn't allow any cricketer to have any kind of engagement with a portal that promotes betting or gambling. He also mentioned that proper action would be taken against Shakib if the news was true.

The BCB president, after the meeting, said that they could even drop Shakib from the squad if the latter doesn't opt out of the partnership with BetWinner News. The squad for the Asia Cup, starting on 27 August, will be announced on Friday or Saturday. 

"There is no chance of a second thought," said Nazmul. "We are not going to change our stance on the issue. I have always said that we would show zero tolerance to these kinds of things. The BCB will never allow these. We had to drop players like [Mohammad] Ashraful before for such issues."

"We have sent Shakib a letter and are supposed to get a reply today. He was due to reply to that yesterday but I've heard that he will do that today. So we'll have to wait a bit," he added.

Nazmul further stressed that the BCB won't allow Shakib to even be a part of the team if he doesn't cancel the deal.

"There can't be any kind of involvement. He must cancel the deal. Otherwise, he won't be there in the team let alone be the captain. There is nothing to be discussed here. We have made our stance crystal clear," concluded the BCB president.