After a few more waits, Shakib will be seen in the Bangladesh team.
Shakib Al Hasan will return home from the United States before the start of the series against Zimbabwe. But the Bangladesh team is not getting him at the beginning of this series. This all-rounder will be busy in the Dhaka Premier League at this time.
Shakib has been irregular in the national team since last year’s ODI World Cup. He has played only one match for Bangladesh in the last six months. The chief selector expects him to be available towards the end of the Zimbabwe series.
Shakib played a few matches of the 2023 World Cup in India with an eye problem. He was knocked out of the last match against Sri Lanka when he injured his finger in the World Cup. Later he returned to the field with BPL. But at the beginning of the tournament, the star cricketer of Rangpur Riders had to suffer in batting due to eye discomfort.
At the end of the BPL, the former Bangladesh captain took a break from the three edition series against Sri Lanka. However, the 37-year-old all-rounder played three Premier League matches for Sheikh Jamal.
Later Shakib played the second Test in Chittagong due to a change of circumstances. He took 4 wickets in bowling with 51 runs in two innings with the bat. Since then he is out of cricket. Go to USA to spend time with family.
Shakib is scheduled to return to Bangladesh at the end of this month. Therefore, he was not included in the 17-member team of the preparatory camp that will start next Friday in Chittagong. Not only that, Gazi Ashraf told the media after announcing the team for the camp that Shakib will not be available at the start of the main series as well.
“We have been in touch with Shakib Al Hasan. He will come to Bangladesh by the end of this month. He has a chance to play a match or two in the Premier League Super League.”
“Then he will come under the supervision of our team management. There will be an opportunity to practice some cricketing skills. Then we would certainly like, since there are five games, to get him to play at the end. He is not available at the beginning.”
The main aim of the series against Zimbabwe is to prepare themselves for the World Cup. However, the chief selector feels that even if an experienced cricketer like Shakib is not here, there will be no problem.
“Any cricketer has to come through a process. He will come from abroad. He will have travel fatigue. There will be adaptation to this heat. Then he will have to work with the Bangladesh team management and return to the match as soon as possible. Those are the things we aim for. I will keep it.”
“I think in terms of team bonding, he knows how to blend in with the team. It won’t be a problem. Because we have 5 matches with Zimbabwe, then we will go to America and play some matches. So there are many games, many days before the start of the World Cup. That they can spend together.”
Like Shakib, Mustafizur Rahman who is out of the country is not in the preparation camp. He is busy in IPL. The left-arm pacer is off until May 1. Mustafiz is supposed to join the national team after returning to the country.
However, the chief selector said that Mustafiz is unlikely to play in the first match of the T20 series.
“I think, Mustafiz will not be in the first match. Because he will come, he will have to go through the screening process of our medical team. Will have a conversation with him later. Then we will understand. I think he might not be in the first match.”
Soumya Sarkar, who sustained a leg injury in the last series against Sri Lanka, has been included in the preparation camp squad. The left-handed batsman’s rehabilitation process is not over yet. However, he has been called to the camp to keep with the team.
“Soumya Sarkar is not completely healthy. He is in the process of returning from injury. There too he will have a close observation. But he will be with the team so that he can participate in the lectures that will be held from a strategic point of view.”
The squad for the Zimbabwe series will be finalized mainly from the 17-member team of the preparation camp. Even in the preparation of the World Cup team, priority will be given to these 17 people. In that case, a notable left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is among those left out.
Taijul did not get a chance to play any match even though he was in the squad for the last T20 series against Sri Lanka. Later, the 32-year-old spinner could not play any match of the Dhaka Premier League due to an injury sustained in the second match of the Test series.
Another left-arm spinner, Tanveer Islam, has been called up for the preparation camp in place of Taijul, who is undergoing rehabilitation.
National team selector Hannan Sarkar told bdnews24.com that they kept Taijul out keeping in mind the busy schedule of Test cricket.
“Taijul is still not fully recovered. We do not want to rush the rehabilitation process. Because there are many tests ahead. So I will wait to get fully fit with time. He will not be seen in this series. Besides, left-arm spinner Tanveer Islam has been taken. How we want to see him too.”
The T20 series will start on May 3 at Zahoor Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. The next two matches at the same ground are on the 5th and 7th. Then back to Dhaka for the last two matches on May 10 and 12.
