Cricketer Shakib Al Hasan has reversed his retirement from Tests and T20Is and wished to play all three formats. "I am officially not retired from all formats," Shakib said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast 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.''
Shakib has not played international cricket for more than a year and had announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is last year. "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." Shakib hasn't returned to Bangladesh since May 2024, once the Awami League government was dethroned on August 5. Shakib was an MP for that party.
When asked whether he will return to Bangladesh, Shakib said, "I am hopeful. That's why I'm playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen." Shakib further said that he will not be burdened by results and he wants to "give something back to the fans" for years of support in a home series. "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.
"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."
PT/ra
