Allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has retired from Test and T20 cricket. He had wished to play his final Test at home, but it could not be entertained as the government apparently failed to provide his security. Hence, the Kanpur Test against India in September will mark the end of his Test career.
Shakib has not yet retired from ODI cricket. He wishes to continue playing in this format until the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. But this wish too seems far removed from reality.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to announce the squad for the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, dropping the allrounder’s name. This is the only ODI series Bangladesh will play before the Champions Trophy.
According to a BCB source, the selectors have already submitted the squad to the board, and there is no Shakib as per instruction from the board.
According to media reports, Shakib set some conditions for his participation in the West Indies series. The BCB did not respond to it positively, and it significantly lessened the possibility for his inclusion in the squad. Currently, Shakib is playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for the Bangla Tigers.
After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August, he was implicated in a murder case and fined Tk 5 million for alleged involvement in share manipulation. At the same time, the bank accounts of both Shakib and his wife have been frozen.
Against this backdrop, Shakib requested the government, through the BCB, to lift the restrictions on his accounts and ensure free movement to and from the country.
While talking to Prothom Alo, a responsible BCB source said they are unaware of any such conditions by Shakib.
Meanwhile, another BCB official, on the condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo over the phone that they believe Shakib is not in a conducive mental state to play international cricket due to various reasons.
“Playing in the T10 League and representing the national team in international games are not the same. This is why we feel it would be better for Shakib to sit out the West Indies series. The selection panel has been informed about this thought of the board," he added.
The selection panel, led by Gazi Ashraf Hossain, did not consider Shakib in the squad due to the attitude of the board. Selection decisions should remain independent, but individuals concerned described the current situation as "sensitive", which requires intervention from the "policy-making-level".
The squad for the West Indies series has been finalised but is yet to be officially announced.