Shakib Al Hasan set to feature in Afghanistan ODI series
Bangladesh cricket star, Shakib Al Hasan, will return to action for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan, starting November 6 in Sharjah. The announcement comes after Shakib's shocking withdrawal from his 'farewell' Test match against South Africa. The news was confirmed by Faruque Ahmed, the president of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Earlier, Shakib's participation in the series was in doubt due to political unrest in the country.
Return to international cricket
Notably, Shakib hasn't played for Bangladesh since featuring in the Kanpur Test against India. He was supposed to play in Mirpur against South Africa, which could have been his last Test appearance. However, due to political unrest in Bangladesh, he was advised against returning and was replaced by Hasan Murad. Despite all this, Shakib will now play the three-ODI series against Afghanistan in the UAE.
Efforts for Shakib's retirement at home
Ahmed was disappointed that Shakib missed the chance to retire from Test cricket on home soil. He said, "Personally, I tried my level best so that Shakib can get his retirement at home." But since it was out of BCB's hands with law enforcement and government agencies, it couldn't happen. Nevertheless, Shakib is still a key player for Bangladesh in upcoming matches.
Shakib's future cricket aspirations
Shakib has already retired from T20Is, having played his last for Bangladesh in the 2024 Men's ICC T20 World Cup. However, he did express a desire to continue playing the 50-over format till the ICC Champions Trophy next year. This shows his commitment to contribute to Bangladesh's cricketing success in the shorter format of the game.
