NEW DELHI: Bangladesh cricket team’s veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is set to make his final appearance in Test cricket in front of his home crowd.
He has been named in the squad for the first Test match against South Africa, scheduled to commence on Monday.
Prior to the second and final Test against India in Kanpur, Shakib had expressed his desire to play his last Test at home against South Africa, provided the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) could ensure his safety.
The squad for the South Africa series sees Khaled Ahmed as the only omission from the team that recently toured India.
Bangladesh squad for 1st Test: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman lslam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.
Shakib has been embroiled in controversy, with accusations of his involvement in the murder of a student. However, the Bangladesh veteran was participating in a T20 league in Canada at the time of the alleged incident.
Initially, Faruque Ahmed, the new president of the BCB, had rejected Shakib’s request for security, stating that the board was not a security agency and could not guarantee any cover for him.
However, Asif Mahmud, the sports advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, stated that Shakib would be provided security once his political stance was clear.
In response, Shakib issued an unconditional apology for his silence during the civil unrest in Bangladesh, which led to the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In a statement on his official Facebook page, Shakib paid respects to the students who sacrificed their lives during the anti-discrimination movement and expressed his sincere apologies to those who were hurt by his silence during this critical period.
Shakib also addressed a message to the Bangladesh fans, acknowledging that he would soon be playing his last match.
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He expressed his desire to bid farewell surrounded by the fans whose applause compelled him to play better and whose eyes welled up with tears when he did not perform well.
“You all know that I will soon be playing my last match… I want to say goodbye with all of you around. At the moment of farewell, I want to shake hands with those whose applause compelled me to play better,” Shakib wrote.
“I want to meet the eyes of those who cheered in joy when I played well and whose eyes welled up with tears when I did not. I believe that at this farewell moment, you will all be with me. Together, we will close the story that, in truth, stars not me, but all of you,” he added.
Following the two-Test series against South Africa, Bangladesh will depart for the UAE to take on Afghanistan in a three-match series.
