08 December,2025 12:00 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shakib Al Hasan (Pic: File Pic)
Former Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan has withdrawn his retirement decision from T20I and Test cricket, and has expressed his desire to represent the team in all three formats of the game, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Shakib, who has been away from international cricket for over a year, announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is last year.
Speaking about his retirement plans, the all-rounder said that he wants to feature in a full T20I, ODI, and Test series before hanging hos boots.
"I am officially not retired from all formats. 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," he said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, which features Moeen Ali.
"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," said the 38-year-old cricketer.
He has not returned to Bangladesh since May 2024 after the expulsion of the Awami League government. The cricketer, along with a former MP for the party, was named in an FIR in an alleged murder case.
Shakib's most recent international appearance was during the second Test match against Team India in Kanpur.
When asked whether he will return to Bangladesh, he said, "I am hopeful. That's why I'm playing [T20 leagues]. I think it will happen".
"I think when a player says something, they try to stick to their words. 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," added the 38-year-old cricketer.
Over the years, Shakib Al Hasan has represented Bangladesh in 71 Test matches, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20I games. He has scored 4609 runs, including five tons and 31 half-centuries in Test cricket. In the 50-over format, the left-handed batsman has accumulated 7570 runs, which also includes nine centuries and 56 half-centuries. He has also garnered 2551 runs and registered 13 half-centuries in the shortest format of the game.
(With ANI Inputs)
