Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been slapped with a suspension by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after his bowling action was found to be illegal at independent testing at Loughborough University earlier this month, reports ESPNCricinfo.

This suspension, which officially began on December 10, would not allow Shakib to bowl in any competition organised by the ECB. 

According to section 11.3 of ICC Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions, ICC and and other cricket boards can also enforce this suspension. The section 11.3 states that "In circumstances where a National Cricket Federation suspends a player from bowling in domestic cricket under its own rules, where such suspension is imposed on the basis of an analysis of the respective player conducted by an Accredited Testing Centre and in accordance with the Standard Analysis Protocols, such suspension shall be respected and enforced by the ICC in International Cricket and all National Cricket Federations in respect of domestic cricket under their jurisdiction automatically upon receipt of notice of the same, without the need for any further formality. The ICC and National Cricket Federations shall take all steps legally available to them to enforce and give effect to such decisions".  

Shakib, who has not played international cricket for Bangladesh since the series against India in September-October, will have to pass an independent assessment and prove that his degree of elbow extension is below the 15-degree threshold laid out in the regulations in order to overturn the ban.

The left-arm spinner's action had been called into question by the umpires during his lone appearance for Surrey against Somerset in the County Championship between September 9-12.

Shakib had bowled more than 63 overs in that fixture and claimed nine wicket. Even though he was not no-balled at any stage for throwing, the on-field umpires Steve O'Shaughnessy and David Millns, subsequently deemed his bowling action to be suspect.

The all-rounder is currently in Sri Lanka, taking part in the Lanka T10 for Galle Marvels.