The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has cleared all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to participate in the second Test against Pakistan, which begins on August 30 in Rawalpindi.
This decision comes as a significant relief to the veteran cricketer, who was recently named in an FIR related to a murder case linked to political unrest in Bangladesh.
Despite the legal challenges, the BCB has affirmed its support for Shakib, stating that the former captain will continue to represent Bangladesh unless proven guilty. “He [Shakib] will continue playing. We received a legal notice regarding bringing him back and we replied to them saying this [that he will continue to play],” BCB President Faruque Ahmed confirmed.
Read also: BD players rally behind accused Shakib
Earlier, the BCB announced that they would decide on Shakib’s future following the first Test against Pakistan. The board also received a legal notice from a Supreme Court lawyer, requesting Shakib’s removal from all forms of cricket and his return to Bangladesh.
However, the BCB has committed to providing legal assistance to Shakib and has decided to stand by him during this period.
“The FIR is in the initial stage, and there are many steps to follow. Until he is proven guilty, we will continue to support him. We also want him available for the India series after the Pakistan series,” Faruque added. ” He is our contracted player and if necessary we will give him legal assistance.”
Read: Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan named in murder case along with ousted PM Hasina
The 37-year-old cricketer has also received public backing from Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and senior batter Mushfiqur Rahim, both of whom have expressed their support for Shakib during these challenging times.
After the Test series against Pakistan, Shakib is scheduled to travel to England to play for Surrey, having been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the BCB.
“He [Shakib] has not played red-ball cricket for a while and that is why we have given him an NOC to play for Surrey as it will help him to adjust with red-ball cricket more than anything else a BCB official explained.
