Shakib Al Hasan has been forced to withdraw from the first home test against South Africa, perhaps bringing an end to his remarkable Test career.
He was unable to reach Dhaka when traveling from New York earlier this week. Shakib has been replaced by Hasan Murad, an uncapped left-arm spinner, for the first Test in Dhaka on October 21, which was intended to be his farewell.
Shakib, who was going from New York to Dhaka and was ordered to stay while in transit in Dubai on Wednesday, had voiced concern about returning home due to rallies against him in Dhaka during political instability.
Shakib has not been allowed to return home to Bangladesh since the Awami League administration dissolved after 15 years in early August. Shakib, an Awami League MP, was already in Canada for the Global T20 Canada event and hasn’t returned since. He flew to Pakistan for Bangladesh’s two-Test series victory, then to the UK to play one first-class game for Surrey in the County Championship in September before returning to India for the two Tests.
He was unable to return home due to continued safety concerns, so he moved to New York, where he now lives. Shakib has been identified as one of 147 persons in a FIR for an alleged murder during the disturbance.
Murad, 23, has 136 wickets in 30 first-class matches since making his debut in 2021, and he has already played two T20Is, both at the Asian Games last year.
“We have been informed that Shakib is unavailable for the first Test,” Gazi Ashraf Hossain, head of the BCB’s national selection panel, stated in a press statement. “He is nearing the end of his Test career, but despite his expertise, we still do not have someone of his caliber with both bat and ball to replace him.
“However, Hasan Murad has regularly excelled in first-class cricket and is part of our system. He will provide balance to our bowling, particularly in home circumstances. We feel he can perform at this level.”
