The Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has still not decided whether he can take part in the upcoming tour of India, which consists of two Tests and three T20Is, starting from September 19, and will run for the next three weeks, at the end of their two-match Test series against Pakistan in August.
Bangladesh had a chance of making their campaign a golden one, but they failed to reach the spot, having lost their last ‘super eight’ game of the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, against Afghanistan, having already lost the other two fixtures of the same round against India and Australia.
With so many veteran players taking retirements from the shortest format of the game, such as Virat Kohli, David Warner, or Rohit Sharma, there were rumors that the veteran Shakib Al Hasan too could think of deciding on the format.
‘I don’t have time to plan for three years’- Shakib Al Hasan
The former captain of the national side, Shakib Al Hasan didn’t enjoy a great season with both bat and ball in this T20 World Cup 2024, as he could manage only 111 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 109 and an average of under 14.
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The 37-year-old has left Dhaka for the USA to be part of the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the upcoming edition of the Major League Cricket (MLC). He confirmed that he has only thought of touring Pakistan at the moment and it yet to decide anything beyond that.
‘I don’t have many plans. There are two T20 tournaments in front of me one is MLC and the other one is the Global T20 League in Canada.’ Shakib told the reporters at Dhaka Airport on Tuesday. ‘Let me see where I stand after playing these two tournaments because I need to understand.’
The experienced member of the side points out that he doesn’t have so many years under his belt and could think of planning for the next three to six months at the moment.
‘There is international cricket and there is a series against Pakistan and I am planning till that point of time and not planning beyond that.’ Shakib Al Hasan was observed during the chat. ‘Now I don’t have time to plan for three to four years and so planning for three to six months is better and later will think about my next plan and so till now I am planning till the Pakistan series.’
It will be interesting to see if he carries to the point. The Bangladesh side, in his absence, could think of going with a young spin all-rounder in India, who will gain the pedigree of bowling on such tracks, given the next edition of the 20-over ICC event will be played in Sri Lanka and India.
The news blew out of how the ace bowler of the side, Taskin Ahmed missed the team bus during their game against India in Antigua, due to not waking up at the right time. The all-rounder revealed that the pacer has apologized to the team and coaching staff later in the tournament.
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The team bus starts at a certain point and there is a rule for cricketers that team bus does not stop for anyone and if anyone misses it in that case he comes in the next car.’ Shakib Al Hasan commented. ‘The manager’s car or a taxi is there and the support of transport was difficult in the West Indies.’
‘Taskin apologized to the team for that afterwards and everyone in the team took it normally because a man can mistake and anyone can commit unintentional mistakes and he accepted it and the thing ended at that point in time.’ Shakib Al Hasan concluded.
Shakib Al Hasan, for the moment, has featured in 129 T20Is, managing 2551 runs at a strike rate of a shade over 120, with 13 half-centuries, besides picking up 149 wickets at an economy of just under seven.