BCB president aims to bring back Shakib

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is just around the corner, with the tournament set to start in Pakistan on February 19. In preparation for this major event, Faruk Ahmed, the President of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), aims to bring Shakib Al Hasan back into the national team. He plans to make an effort to include Shakib in the Champions Trophy squad and intends to discuss the matter with the Ministry of Sports.

Faruk Ahmed revealed this information to the media during a BPL match at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday. He also said that Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the Bangladesh team in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Shakib has not returned to Bangladesh since the change in government. He has continued to play for Bangladesh from abroad, featuring in series against Pakistan and India. Last year, during the India tour, Shakib announced his retirement from T20I and Test cricket, and also shared his future plans for One-Day International (ODI) cricket in a press conference.

Shakib had planned to retire from ODIs after participating in the ICC Champions Trophy. Prior to that, he intended to retire from Test cricket during a match against South Africa in October. However, due to protests in Dhaka and security concerns, the government advised him not to return, preventing his farewell Test match. Subsequently, Shakib voluntarily withdrew from the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and opted out of the West Indies tour. He is currently playing in franchise cricket overseas.

Although Shakib is listed in the Chittagong Kings squad for the BPL, he has not returned to Bangladesh. Additionally, concerns regarding his bowling action have emerged. Realistically, Shakib's chances of playing in the Champions Trophy are slim, but the BCB president remains determined to try. Speaking about Shakib, Faruk Ahmed said, "This player has been performing for 17 years at a high level. I wanted his farewell to be memorable, but that didn’t happen. Given the current circumstances, he has missed several series, including the recent West Indies tour. It’s going to be difficult for him to play in the Champions Trophy."

"I used to speak with Shakib regularly, but I haven’t had any recent conversations with him. He certainly wants to play. We need to take action during this BPL to make it happen. I will make another attempt to get him into the Champions Trophy squad before the tournament. I’ll discuss this with the Ministry as well. Shakib hasn’t retired yet, so there’s been no change in that regard. If he had retired, I would have said that Shakib is no longer available. He is still in touch with the Ministry to figure out how to resolve his issues. I can’t assist with those matters. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: only the government can provide direction on this. If his issues are resolved, I believe he can make a decision. After that, the selection committee will assess his fitness and mental state," he added.