Former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan has confirmed he is “officially not retired from all formats”, signalling a surprise return to Test and T20I cricket after more than a year away from the international arena. Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, which is hosted by Moeen Ali, the 38-year-old explained he hopes to play a complete home series across all three formats before bowing out for good.
“I am officially not retired from all formats,” Shakib said on Sunday. “This is the first time I’ll be revealing that. My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire.”
The all-rounder added that he does not mind which order the matches come in. “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.”
Key facts first
• Shakib has not represented Bangladesh since the second Test against India in Kanpur in late 2024.
• He announced Test and T20I retirements last year but left the door ajar for ODIs.
• Political turmoil, safety concerns and an ongoing legal case have kept him out of the country since May 2024.
• The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has offered mixed messages on a possible comeback.
Why the U-turn?
Shakib’s relationship with Bangladesh cricket has never been straightforward, but the past 18 months have been particularly fraught. He was elected an MP for the Awami League in January 2024; the party was removed from power eight months later. Soon afterwards, Shakib was named in a police complaint connected to an alleged murder, although he was overseas at the time. Those events coincided with large-scale student protests that left hundreds dead.
Against that backdrop, he travelled to Pakistan and India for Test assignments but stayed away from home. Ahead of the Kanpur Test, he said he was done with T20Is and hoped his final Test would come during South Africa’s scheduled visit to Bangladesh. That tour never happened for him. The interim government could not guarantee safe passage, and the BCB omitted him from the squad.
Fans’ farewell the priority
Now Shakib wants closure on his own terms. “I am hopeful. That’s why I’m playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen,” he said when asked if a return to Bangladesh was realistic.
The left-hander insists results will be secondary. “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 if I play well or not. I might play a bad series after that, if I want to play. But I don’t need to do that.”
For him, the emotional connection matters most. “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.”
What the board is saying
Earlier this year a senior BCB director stated Shakib would be “welcome” should he make himself available. Yet in September, government sports adviser Asif Mahmud declared he would not be picked after Shakib publicly wished former prime minister Sheikh Hasina a happy birthday. Mixed signals remain, and any return will involve political as well as cricketing negotiations.
Political ambitions linger
Shakib’s future is unlikely to be confined to the field. Asked about his legacy, he replied: “[I have] done my cricketing part. Maybe political side is left,” he said. “It’s something I want to do for the people of Bangladesh and people of Magura. That was my intention, and it is still my i”
Analysis without the jargon
If Shakib does secure a farewell series, Bangladesh gain not only their most decorated cricketer but also an experienced figure to guide a young squad. His last Test yielded five wickets and a fifty; his fitness has held up in franchise leagues. However, the bigger question is whether administrative and political hurdles can be cleared in time for the next home season.
Either way, the coming months promise to shape both the final chapter of a distinguished playing career and the beginning of a more overtly political one.
