Selection panel, team management to decide on Shakib: Nannu

Former Bangladesh captain Minhajul Abedin Nannu on Monday said the selection panel and team management will decide when Shakib al Hasan would get the national team jersey again.

Since Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the just concluded National Election on 12 February, Shakib was trending again on social media, owing to an old news where BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that his party does not support mixing politics with sports, particularly regarding the future of star all-rounder Shakib.

BNP’s statement regarding Shakib, coupled by Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) announcement that they are exploring the possibility of his return for the home series against Pakistan in March, has yet again brought Shakib back in focus.

As conversations once again begin to stir around Bangladesh’s preparations for another ODI World Cup, Shakib is preparing for a return that could reshape those plans.

After staying away from the country for an extended period due to political circumstances, the maverick all-rounder is now set to come back with a clear target: to resume international cricket in the upcoming home series against Pakistan in March, while keeping one eye firmly on the 2027 50-over World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Sources close to the developments say Shakib is expected to return to Bangladesh later this month to begin preparations for what could be a carefully planned international comeback.

Former national cricketer Nannu though did not provide an exact timeline regarding Shakib’s return to the Bangladesh team.

“Shakib Al Hasan is one of the best cricketers in Bangladesh. It is difficult to say when he will play for the national team again. The selection panel and team management will decide based on his fitness and overall condition. They will also consider his ability to play domestic cricket before making a final decision,” Nannu told the media.