Shakib available for Afghanistan series: BCB boss Faruque

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Faruque Ahmed said on Wednesday that Shakib al Hasan is available for the upcoming three-match ODIs against Afghanistan. The series is scheduled to start in UAE from November 6 with the next two games slated respectively on 9 and 11.

"Regarding Shakib Al Hasan, since the team (for the three ODIs against South Africa) has not been given yet, it means he is available," Faruque told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Wednesday before heading for an important board meeting.

Faruque added that the board was not involved in any way as far as preventing Shakib from returning home to play his last Test against South Africa. "The first thing is that you said that he couldn't play his last Test here but we are completely uninvolved with that situation. The law enforcement forces, the government and Shakib were [involved]. We are totally an auxiliary part in this. Personally, I tried my level best so that Shakib can get his retirement at home," Faruque said.

"But Shakib is not just a player, he was an MP under the last government. There are some sentiments there. Overall, the government's thoughts and the cricket board's were not the same. As a former player I saw that a boy played cricket for 17 years, he is a brand ambassador, he has done lot for Bangladesh and I believed it would have been good," he said.

"But we have to see the other things. Considering all that, he could not arrive in the last minute but the board had nothing to do with it. It is completely law related and a matter for the law enforcement agencies. It was up to Shakib and the law enforcement agencies and the board had nothing to do about it," he said.

"For the board, if he had arrived, we would try to give him as much security as our powers allow us. Since he didn't come, there is no point talking about it," he added.

Faruque, who will fly to Chattogram to watch the ongoing Test match between Bangladesh and South Africa, added that he will meet with Najmul Hossain to know why he wants to quit from his captaincy after the home series against South Africa.