Shakib reverses retirement, aims to play all formats

Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has reversed his retirement from Tests and T20Is, saying he now intends to play all three formats. Shakib has not played international cricket for more than a year and had announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is last year.

“I am officially not retired from all formats,” Shakib said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, hosted by Moeen Ali, on Sunday. “This is the first time I’ll revealing that. My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire.

“I mean, [I can] retire from all formats in a series. So it can start from T20I, ODI and Test, or Test, ODI, T20I. Either way, I’m fine, but I want to play a whole series and retire. That’s what I want.”

Shakib has not returned to Bangladesh since May 2024, after the Awami League government was ousted on August 5. Shakib, who was an MP for Awami League, was named in an FIR in an alleged murder case, though he was outside the country at the time. He has since played Test cricket in Pakistan and India. The second Test against India in Kanpur was his last international appearance.

When asked whether he will return to Bangladesh, Shakib said, “I am hopeful. That’s why I’m playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen.”

Shakib further said that he will not be burdened by results and he wants to “give something back to the fans” for years of support in a home series.

“I think when a player says something, they try to stick to their words,” he said. “They normally don’t change it all of a sudden. It doesn’t matter whether I play well or not. I might play a bad series after that if I want to continue, but I don’t need to.

“I think this is enough. It’s just a nicer way to say bye to the fans that they supported me always, give something back to them, playing a home series.”

Source: ESPNcricinfo