Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will not be part of Bangladesh’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies. This series, which is Bangladesh’s final ODI assignment before the 2024 Champions Trophy, will proceed without Shakib, who is focused on other commitments.
Although Shakib has retired from Test and T20I formats, he expressed a desire to play his final Test on home soil. However, his plans were disrupted due to security concerns, as previously reported. Shakib has made it clear that he intends to continue playing One-Day Internationals (ODIs) until the Champions Trophy, but he missed the recent ODI series against Afghanistan and will now sit out the upcoming series against the West Indies as well.
A member of Bangladesh’s selection panel confirmed Shakib’s unavailability for the series, saying, “He is not available for the ODIs against West Indies, and we have prepared our squad accordingly.”
Adding to the uncertainty surrounding Shakib’s absence, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) official suggested that the all-rounder might not be in the right mental state to represent the national team at the moment. Shakib is currently participating in the Abu Dhabi T10 League with the Bangla Tigers, and the BCB official remarked, “Given his current mental state, we felt Shakib isn’t in the right condition to play. Playing franchise cricket is not the same as representing the national team.”
It is now understood that Shakib has opted to make himself unavailable for the West Indies ODIs to focus on his participation in the Lanka T10 League, where he is set to represent Galle Marvels. The tournament runs from December 12 to 22, and Shakib was signed in the Platinum Player category during the pre-draft selections.
Meanwhile, BCB officials are still awaiting medical reports for two players, Najmul Hossain and Towhid Hridoy, before confirming the final squad for the West Indies series. Both players are recovering from groin injuries. The selection panel hopes that Najmul will be ready to return for the third ODI if his recovery continues smoothly. Towhid, who sustained a groin injury while playing football in Bogra, underwent a scan on Saturday, and the board is awaiting the results.
The West Indies series is set to take place in St. Kitts, with three ODIs scheduled for December 8, 10, and 12, followed by three T20Is in St. Vincent on December 15, 17, and 19. This series will be an important final test for Bangladesh as they prepare for the 2024 Champions Trophy.
