Shakib Al Hasan, a veteran of Bangladesh cricket, is willing to forego franchise opportunities in order to extend his international career across all three formats.
Shakib, a world-class all-rounder who sustained a finger injury last month during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, is presently sidelined. However, the Bangladeshi national Twenty20 tournament begins next month, and he hopes to make a comeback in time to compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup the following year.
Although Shakib is enticed to compete in more domestic tournaments abroad, he maintains that representing his country in all three formats of the game remains his top priority.
Shakib has participated in each of the previous five 50-over World Cup editions, has amassed the most Twenty20 International runs scored by any Bangladeshi player, and continues to be one of the first choices in Test match cricket.
Furthermore, the 36-year-old is unwilling to prematurely call an end to his extraordinary international career, even though he is willing to forego the chance to compete in domestic white-ball tournaments worldwide in order to maintain his country’s leadership position.
“I did not give my name in IPL and so there a window will be opened and when my manager gave my name in PSL I told him to withdraw it and my name is not there in PSL so my plan is to give all this time to national team because I will sacrifice the franchise tournament that I used to play,” Shakib said.
“I am playing in three formats and hope that I can continue that but no one knows about (the) future and what is in store but till now I have the desire to play cricket for a long time.”
Bangladesh managed just two victories when missing out of the knockout stages of the World Cup in India, but showed a marked improved performance in their return to international cricket when they drew their recent ICC World Test Championship series on home soil against New Zealand.
They now turn their attention to a white-ball series in New Zealand later this month that consists of three ODIs and three T20Is, which Shakib was scheduled to feature in until he was advised to skip the tour and continue his rehabilitation from injury.
Ineligible for the knockout stages of the World Cup in India, Bangladesh amassed a mere two victories. However, upon their return to international cricket, they demonstrated a markedly improved performance by tying New Zealand in their most recent ICC World Test Championship series at home.
They are now focused on a white-ball series in New Zealand later this month, which will comprise of three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals. Shakib was originally slated to participate in this tour, but he was advised to forego it in order to continue his recovery from injury.
“I was hoping that I will be going to New Zealand for the ODI and T20I series as now the team is departing for the tour and I was planning in that way because I felt I will be ok by four weeks,” Shakib added.
“But I have consulted a doctor two days back and he asked me to wait as I will need another two weeks and later start the rehabilitation.
“It is taking more time than expected as it will need six weeks and the next option is that after doing the rehabilitation and gaining fitness I don’t see any other way before BPL and there is election and so I will be busy so I will return to competitive cricket through BPL and can play from the start of BPL by getting full fitness.”
