Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials are still unsure about the inclusion of premier all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the upcoming two-Test series against Pakistan. Shakib, who is currently participating in the Global T20 Canada, had earlier shown interest in playing the Test series, which is scheduled to begin on August 21 in Rawalpindi. Hence, he had planned to return to Bangladesh from the USA, where he is playing in the Major League Cricket, after receiving an NOC from the BCB by August 12 so that he can return to the country and prepare for the Test match.

However, Shakib has run into trouble after losing his parliamentary seat on August 6 due to the recent political unrest in the country. Shakib’s return to Bangladesh may be delayed. This uncertainty could potentially affect his selection for the national team. Also, there are concerns about Shakib’s readiness for Test cricket, having played consecutive T20 matches since the home series against Zimbabwe in May.

Shakib Al Hasan’s international career is at stake

As reported by the Daily Star, a BCB official explained that the initial concern was whether Shakib would be able to travel to Bangladesh and then Pakistan, but now there are concerns about his ability to handle the physical demands of Test cricket after playing T20.

The selectors have struggled to contact Shakib over the past week due to the unrest in the country and are expected to consult captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha in the coming days before finalising the squad.

The report further states that an 18-member preliminary squad, including Shakib and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed, has already been finalised, but the final 15-member squad will be decided after discussions with the selection panel. Meanwhile, Cricket Operations in-charge Shahriar Nafees has said that Shakib’s inclusion will depend on both his availability and his selection for the series.