Shakib Al Hasan, the former captain of Bangladesh, has declared his determination to play in all three formats of cricket and has reversed his retirement from Test and Twenty20 International cricket. Shakib had retired from Test and T20I cricket last year and had been absent from international cricket for more than a year.
Shakib hasn’t been back in Bangladesh since May 2024, when the Awami League administration, for whom he was a member of parliament, fell on August 5. Despite not being in the nation at the time, he was also identified in a formal complaint in relation to a case of alleged murder. He then played in Test series in India and Pakistan; his final international match was the second Test against India in Kanpur.
“I’m not officially retired from any format. I’ll be disclosing that for the first time. After returning to Bangladesh, I intend to play one whole ODI, Test, and T20 series before retiring. I mean, I’m able to retire from any format in a series. Thus, T20I, ODI and Test, or Test, ODI, T20I, can be the starting point. I’m good either way, but I’d like to play a whole series before I retire. Shakib stated on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, “That’s what I want.”
Shakib was welcome to rejoin the national squad, according to a BCB official earlier this year.
Shakib added that he is focused on repaying the supporters for their years of loyalty, especially in a home series, and that he will not be constrained by the outcome. He also talked about his thoughts on going back to Bangladesh.
“I have hope. I play in [T20 leagues] for that reason. I believe that will occur. I believe that when a player speaks, they make an effort to be truthful. Usually, they don’t make sudden changes. Whether or not I play well is irrelevant. If I want to play after that, I might play a poor series. However, I don’t have to. This is plenty, in my opinion. Playing a home series is just a more considerate way to bid farewell to the supporters who have always stood by me and give them something in return,” Shakib added.
Shakib declared he will no longer play Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) prior to the Kanpur Test in September of last year. He also stated that he would like to play his final Test match during the October home series against South Africa. Shakib apologised for his previous silence during the student-led protests and riots that surrounded Dhaka’s Shere Bangla National Stadium in the run-up to the series.
Shakib was later removed from the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) Test team due to the interim government’s failure to ensure his safe departure. However, after Shakib publicly wished former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a happy birthday in September, Asif Mahmud, Bangladesh’s sports adviser, announced that Shakib would not be permitted to represent the nation.
When asked about the legacy he wanted to leave behind, Shakib, who was elected as an MP from his birthplace of Magura in January 2024, also said he was not done with his political career.
“I’ve completed my cricketing portion. Perhaps the political side has moved on. For the benefit of the people of Magura and Bangladesh, I would like to do this. That was my goal, and I still have that goal. Shakib remarked, “Let’s see where Allah leads me.”
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