Shakib available for Afghanistan series

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed confirmed Shakib Al Hasan’s availability for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, saying that there is no bar for the allrounder to play for Bangladesh. 

The series will be held in UAE, Afghanistan’s adopted home venue with the first match scheduled to start from November 6. 

The next two games slated respectively on November 9 and 11.

“Since the team (for the three-match series against Afghanistan) has not been given yet, it means he is available,” Faruque told the reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today before board meeting.

Shakib, a former lawmaker from ousted Awami League government, was supposed to play his last Test in Mirpur against South Africa but he didn’t return home after people vented their anger on him through a movement following his inclusion to the national team for the series.

As the people still voicing against him for his silence during the student-led mass uprising, he was advised not to return to the country.  

Faruque said that the board was not involved in any way to prevent him from returning home to play his last Test against South Africa.
 
“I tried my best so that Shakib can get his retirement at home but the fact is he is not just a player, he was an MP under the last government. So obviously there are some sentiments there.”

Faruque said as a former player, he also wanted Shakib to play his last Test in front of home crowd. 

“Personally I believe it would have been good if he could retire in front of the home crowd. As a former player, I feel for him…he has been playing cricket for 17 years and had done a lot for the country’s cricket,” he remarked. 

“But things are not straightforward; we have to consider the other things. The board had nothing to do with it as he had to abandon his plan to return to the country. As I said earlier, it is the issue related to law and a matter for the law enforcement agencies. It was up to Shakib and the law enforcement agencies.”

The BCB chief said the board would have done everything possible under their jurisdiction if Shakib had arrived. 

“If he had arrived, we would try to give him as much security as our power allows us. Since he didn’t come, there is no point talking about it,” he said.