(Source X)
“There is a question of whether he is available for the series now,” said Nafees.
Amid ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh, the national team is set to travel to Pakistan for a two-match Test series, with the first Test starting on August 21 in Rawalpindi. There is uncertainty surrounding the participation of former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan in the series.
Shakib, who had initially expressed a desire to play in the Pakistani series, is currently competing in the Global T20 Canada and recently participated in the Major League Cricket in the United States. He was expected to return to Bangladesh to prepare for the tour, having been granted a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) until August 12.
However, the political turmoil in Bangladesh, including the fallout from the Awami League government’s collapse and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure, has cast doubt on his return and participation.
“Before, it was just about whether he [Shakib] could come to Bangladesh and then travel to Pakistan. He’s been playing cricket, but in a format where he has to score quickly in short time. And even though he knows how to play longer matches, there’s a concern about whether he can handle the physical demands [of Test cricket],” a BCB official said as quoted by The Daily Star.
“He is only a cricketer now. There is a question of whether he is available for the series now, and another being whether he gets picked for the tour. We will run our activity keeping these two factors in mind,” said Cricket Operation In-charge Shahriar Nafees.
Shakib Al Hasan’s office has been destroyed amid the ongoing political unrest in Bangladesh.
Additionally, there is growing animosity towards public figures linked with the Bangladeshi government. Shakib Al Hasan, a former Member of Parliament, had his office burned and destroyed by protesters. Similarly, the home of former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was also set on fire by vandals.
