Shakib Al Hasan skips return to Bangladesh

Following Bangladesh’s historic Test series win over Pakistan, veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will not return home with his teammates.

Instead, he will head to England to play for Surrey in the English county circuit, as confirmed by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruk Ahmed.

Shakib obtained the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for Surrey before Faruk assumed the role of BCB president.

“He got the NOC to play for Surrey before I joined BCB as president. So, he will play there before joining the national team in India,” Faruk stated after a BCB board of directors’ meeting.

The development comes amid a legal notice seeking Shakib’s removal from the national team due to his involvement in a murder case.

The case, filed on August 22, accuses Shakib and 154 others, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, the BCB has made it clear that Shakib will continue playing until proven guilty.

“He will continue to play for the country. We want him in the India series as well. The complaint against him is still at the FIR stage, charges against him are not proven yet,” Faruk clarified.

Shakib’s availability for the India series is crucial for Bangladesh, and the board is confident in his continued participation despite the ongoing legal issues.