It has been nearly a year since Shakib Al Hasan last featured for the Bangladesh national cricket team. The experienced all-rounder played his most recent match in September 2024 during the Kanpur Test against India. Since then, his international career has remained inactive, largely due to political circumstances.
Shakib had hoped to retire from Test cricket in front of home fans during the series against South Africa. However, that plan was shelved due to security concerns linked to his political background. At the time, he was serving as an elected member of parliament under the now-ousted Awami League government, which was removed from power following a mass uprising. As a result, his once-glittering international career has come to a standstill for reasons beyond the cricket field.
While Shakib is no longer part of the national setup, he continues to play regularly in franchise leagues around the world. In the ongoing Guyana Super League, he produced a match-winning performance for Dubai Capitals in their opening game and was named Player of the Match. His strong form has reignited discussions about a potential return to the national team, especially with Bangladesh continuing to struggle in the T20 format.
Questions about Shakib’s future with the Tigers are frequently directed at officials. Just two days ago, BCB media committee chairman Iftekhar Rahman Mithu told reporters that the board “always keeps the door open” for Shakib.
On Monday, during the opening ceremony of the 39th National Badminton Championship in Dhaka, BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul also faced questions regarding Shakib’s future. Bulbul stated that the board would make a decision only after speaking directly with the player.
Before the Kanpur Test last year, Shakib had publicly announced his retirement from T20 internationals, although he expressed willingness to come out of retirement if needed. He had also planned to continue playing One Day Internationals through to the 2025 Champions Trophy. In the end, Bangladesh took part in that tournament without him.
Since he has not formally retired from Test or ODI cricket, the possibility of a return still exists. However, his political background remains a major barrier. Bulbul explained that any move would first require discussions with Shakib and emphasised that the final decision rests with the selectors.
“Shakib is still an available player. He has not retired from any format. We will talk to him and then decide. I have said this before, and I will repeat it now, this matter depends entirely on the national selectors,” Bulbul said.
He also clarified that he has not communicated with Shakib since taking over as BCB president. “I have not been in touch with Shakib for quite some time. There has been no formal communication since I assumed this role. Again, I want to make it clear that team selection is not my responsibility. That task lies with the selectors. My job is to run the cricket board.”