Image Credit- AFP
All-rounder Shakib
Al Hasan is expected to be available for the second Test of the current
two-match series against Sri Lanka, which is set to begin on March 30,
according to a statement released by the Bangladesh Cricket Board on Friday.
Shakib will not be eligible for the Test matches, the BCB already announced.
Shakib missed the white-ball series against Sri Lanka following his absence
from the series against New Zealand. The all-rounder has since notified the
board that he wants to play the second Test at the Sylhet International Cricket
Stadium, but he recently had second thoughts.
“We are
expecting him to be available during the second Test against Sri Lanka as he
wants to play the game. I think there is still time for him to prepare fully
for the game,” a BCB source said.
The hosts will
greatly benefit from Shakib’s comeback as they will be lacking in experience
due to Mushfiqur Rahim’s injury to his thumb, which kept him out of the series.
When the hosts hosted Ireland in their own backyard in April 2023, Shakib made
his Test debut.
In an attempt to gain more experience in the middle of the bat as he gets ready
to make his international comeback, Shakib recently joined Sheikh Jamal
Dhanmondi Club to participate in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League, the nation’s
traditional List A competition. The current series is a component of the ICC
Test Championship’s third cycle.