Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from T20Is, and hinted at calling time on his Test career following the match in Kanpur against India.Bangladesh’s senior all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from T20Is, and further revealed that the Kanpur Test against India could be his last red-ball match. The announcement came during a press conference ahead of the second Test between India and Bangladesh.
Shakib revealed that he has expressed a desire to bid adieu to the longest format in front of his home crowd in Mirpur. However, if the wish isn’t fulfilled, the match against India will be his final outing in Test cricket. “I have expressed my desire to play my last Test in Mirpur, if that won’t happen, second Test against India would be my last,” Shakib said, as quoted by PTI.
“Bangladesh cricket has given me so much, and I want to give my last in this format at home,” he further said.
Interestingly, Shakib Al Hasan’s Test debut also came against India. His first red-ball appearance for Bangladesh was in Chattogram back in May 2007, and since then, he has gone on to play 70 Tests for his country. With a stellar record to his name, Shakib has amassed 4,600 runs, including five centuries and 31 half-centuries, making him the third-highest run-scorer in Bangladesh’s Test history – a position he is likely to maintain when Shakib ends his Test career.On the bowling front, Shakib stands unrivalled as Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, having claimed 242 wickets. He remains the only bowler from his country to surpass the 200-wicket mark in Tests, further cementing his legacy as one of Bangladesh’s finest all-rounders.
T20I retirement
Shakib had earlier hinted that he had played his last T20I for Bangladesh during the T20 World Cup, and confirmed his retirement from the format in the press conference. Shakib Al Hasan featured in 129 T20I matches for Bangladesh, amassing 2,551 runs at a strike rate of 121.18. However, it was his impact with the ball that proved more crucial for the team. Across 126 innings, Shakib claimed 149 wickets, just one short of the 150 mark, with his best figures being an impressive 5/20. His final appearance for Bangladesh came during the T20 World Cup, where he played in the Super Eights stage against Afghanistan in June.
