POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Jan 25, 2026 : Shakib Al Hasan last played for Bangladesh in Kanpur, India, in September 2024. He could not return home after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 of the same year. He did not get a call to play for the Tigers. Recently, the BCB has hinted at bringing this all-rounder back into the team.
The organization said that the selection panel may call Shakib subject to fitness. Meanwhile, he is still in the game even though he is not playing for the national team. Recently, he took the field for a team called ‘Bangladesh’ in the World Cricket Festival in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation is the organizer of the World Cricket Festival. The 10-team tournament started on January 20 and ended on the 23rd. This once world-class all-rounder played in this tournament.
Apart from Shakib, all the cricketers who once shook the national team have played in this tournament. Although they are currently not in a position to return to the national team. Among them are Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik, South Africa’s Imran Tahir, Sri Lanka’s Isuru Udana and Jiban Mendis, India’s Stuart Binny and Irfan Pathan and Australia’s Ben Cutting.
The World Cricket Festival is not a recognized cricket tournament. Shakib last played in recognized cricket in the IL T20 in the United Arab Emirates. There, the left-hander took 3 wickets with the ball and scored 115 runs with the bat in 8 matches for MI Emirates.
Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan has reacted for the first time to the possibility of returning to the national team after a long break. After the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) decided to consider him again in the team, new discussions have started around the issue. Shakib, taking a restrained stance for now, said that he will give his reaction slowly on the matter.
Shakib, who has been out of the national team for almost a year and a half, expressed his desire to return to the country and retire from playing at home, but this did not materialize due to the recent political situation. He did not return to the country after the July uprising.
BCB Director and Media Committee Chairman Amjad Hossain announced Shakib’s return at a press conference after the board meeting on Saturday night. He said, “Our board has discussed this issue and the board has unanimously decided that if Shakib Al Hasan is available on time, has fitness and accessibility, and is present where the game will be played, then the board or the selection committee will definitely consider Shakib for selection later. So that Shakib can participate in other global tournaments, the board will provide NOC as necessary.”
He said that the BCB has also offered Shakib a central contract. The board will discuss the cases and legal issues against him with the government.
Regarding how Shakib’s issue came up in the World Cup issue, BCB Director Asif Akbar said, “We had an agenda in cricket operations that we would have 27 players under contract, including the list of players. Grade A, B, C. Then, during the discussion, one of our directors made a proposal subject to discussion that Shakib Al Hasan is interested and we have spoken to Shakib, he wants to play. The president (Aminul Islam) has been told to contact the government about this matter. His personal issues are his own, whether the government approves them or how the government will face them is a matter for the government. But we have asked Shakib on behalf of the board.” He further said, “How Shakib’s personal issues will be handled is a different matter, a matter for the government. We have asked Shakib on behalf of the board. We have proposed to keep Shakib in the list of contracted players that our board will have. Shakib will come to the country and retire, it is his wish. Shakib is a brand, we will not get such a player again even in 100 years.
It is worth noting that Shakib Al Hasan was elected as a member of parliament from Magura-1 constituency in the Awami League non-voter election of 24 years ago. At the time of the election, a case was pending against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission. The case alleging that he embezzled Tk 256 crore through stock market manipulation is still ongoing. Currently, at least 15 cases are pending against him. So, how will this fascist named Shakib rejoin the BCB is what is now worrying cricket lovers. Will he be able to win the toss and take Bangladesh’s fragile cricket to the world again? Various questions have arisen in the cricket arena of Bangladesh.
On the other hand, the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), an organization of international cricketers, has commented that the absence of the Bangladesh team on the world stage is unfortunate for cricket.
In a statement on Sunday, the organization called for initiatives to unite rather than divide.
Bangladesh cricket team has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup due to its decision not to play in India due to security concerns. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given Scotland a chance to replace the Tigers in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup.
WCA CEO Tom Moffat said in a statement, “Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup and the consequent absence of a valuable cricketing nation from cricket’s premier international T20 tournament is tragic for our game, for Bangladesh players and for the fans.”
He added, “We call on the leaders of the game – working with all stakeholders including organisations, leagues and players – to unite cricket, not divide it.”
