Shakib to retire from Test cricket at Mirpur?
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed has made indications of fulfilling Shakib Al Hasan’s wish to retire from Test cricket at home.
Speaking to newspersons regarding the upcoming home series against South Africa following a board meeting on Monday, the BCB president said, “I am in touch with Shakib. He has a good chance of retiring at home.”
Earlier, Shakib at a press meet before the Kanpur Test against India said he wanted to retire from Test cricket in the upcoming home series against South Africa.
He also hoped that the BCB would make necessary arrangements to ensure his safety during the match at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium and his safe departure from the country after the match. He also announced his retirement from the T20 format and returned to the US after the Test series against India.
Since then, there have been all sorts of discussions regarding his desire to retire at home. In an instant reaction, the BCB president said at the time that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure Shakib’s safety. The board has nothing to do in this regard.
Sports adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain also talked to the media about this several times afterwards.
Lately, he said that he too wanted a player like Shakib Al Hasan to retire at home ground. He made the remark while attending the Women’s T20 World Cup in Sharjah. He also assured to ensure his security.
Speaking in this regard, BCB president Faruque Ahmed said, “The responsibility lies with the government. I am only the board president and my power is limited. So any decision about Shakib should come from the government. There are law enforcement agencies and the advisory council of the interim government. It’s their decision.”
However, it has been learnt that Shakib too is not that much concerned about his safety at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla Stadium. His main concern is his safe departure from the country after the Test match due to several reasons.
The former Awami League lawmaker from the Magura-1 constituency has been accused in a murder case filed with the Adabor police station in the capital’s Mohammadpur. Besides, no Awami League lawmaker, except the arrested leaders, has made any public appearance since the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August in the face of the mass uprising of the students and people. If Shakib plays the Test match against South Africa, then he would be the first among the former AL lawmakers to make a public appearance.
BCB president Faruque Ahmed said, “We will provide him security in Mirpur. Given the limited power we have, we can ensure his security while going to the venue or the practice. It’s quite easy for us. We can do that.”