Shakib Al Hasan set for home farewell in Test cricket
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has opened the doors for Shakib Al Hasan's retirement from Test cricket at home. The veteran all-rounder has been named in the 15-member squad for the first Test against South Africa, which will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur from October 21. Notably, Shakib had earlier expressed his wish to end his Test career in Dhaka.
Shakib's inclusion follows recent T20I retirement
The squad for the upcoming Test against South Africa is pretty much the same as the one that toured India. The only exception is fast bowler Khaled Ahmed, who has been left out. The team has Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam as openers, while Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, and Najmul Hossain Shanto form the middle-order. Shakib's inclusion comes after his recent retirement from T20I cricket in Kanpur.
Shakib's farewell wish amid logistical challenges
Shakib had wanted to play his farewell Test in front of his home crowd, after the opening Test against India in Chennai. However, logistical issues arose as he was embroiled with the fallen Awami League regime and accusations of ties to a murder case. The situation was resolved after Shakib apologized for his silence during student protests and appealed for public support for his final Test.
Shakib's future plans and ODI career
After the second Test against South Africa in Chattogram, Bangladesh will head to the UAE for a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan. As Shakib continues to be a part of the ODI setup, he is likely to join the team on this tour. He has also said that he will continue playing ODIs till the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2025 before deciding on his ODI career.
Bangladesh squad for the 1st Test match
Squad for 1st Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Shadman lslam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.
