Faruque Ahmed, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), expressed his belief that Shakib Al Hasan can still play for the national team, provided he gets clearance from legal authorities. Shakib, who retired from Tests and T20Is earlier this year, had hoped to play his final Test on home soil. However, due to security concerns, he was unable to fulfill that wish and also missed the ODI series against Afghanistan. As a result, he was not named in Bangladesh’s squad for the West Indies tour.BCB Chief Faruque Ahmed believes Shakib Al Hasan still has a future with the Bangladesh cricket team.
Ahmed acknowledged that Shakib’s absence is not due to the cricket board but rather due to legal and court issues. He emphasized that if those issues are resolved, Shakib still has the ability to contribute to the national team. However, Ahmed pointed out that playing in franchise leagues abroad is not the same as playing for the national team. The latter requires a particular mental state and readiness, and it appears Shakib is currently not in the right frame of mind to contribute at that level. The decision has been left to Shakib to make, according to Ahmed.BCB Chief Faruque Ahmed believes Shakib Al Hasan still has a future with the Bangladesh cricket team.
In addition, Ahmed shared the BCB’s plans to potentially launch a Women’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), although he emphasized that making the men’s BPL a success is the priority. He recognized the importance of women’s cricket and stated that they would work towards increasing facilities for female cricketers. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the men’s BPL, including economic difficulties and teams withdrawing. The BCB’s goal now is to ensure better screening and adjustments for the future, hoping to secure the long-term presence of major franchises.BCB Chief Faruque Ahmed believes Shakib Al Hasan still has a future with the Bangladesh cricket team.
Lastly, Ahmed mentioned that the first challenge in his tenure was to ensure that the BPL could take place with seven teams, despite various obstacles. Moving forward, he hopes the BPL will continue to strengthen, with more stable franchises and better management.
