Shakib has not played cricket in almost a month since the second Test in India and is expected to feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for the Bangla Tigers to get some playing time before the Caribbean tour.
After the three ODIs against Afghanistan, Bangladesh will leave for the West Indies for two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. Shakib has retired from Tests and T20Is, so will be available for the ODIs in the Caribbean and then the Champions Trophy in February 2025. Shakib has not played ODIs since the World Cup in India last year.
“After Shakib couldn’t come to play his (farewell) test, he wasn’t doing much practice,” Faruque said at a news conference on Thursday. “I think he needs some time to regroup. We haven’t made a final decision but it seems unlikely that he will play the next series (against Afghanistan). He is likely to miss the series. He could play a T10 tournament soon. “I feel like he still can play for Bangladesh in the 50-over format. “There are three ODIs against the West Indies before the Champions Trophy.”
Faruque, however, said the board will consider Shakib for the rest of the ODIs this season, if the selectors feel his training and franchise tournament is sufficient preparation. “Shakib has played for 17 years and is part of the generation that plays a lot of franchise cricket. They know the drill. They play, sleep maybe a few hours and turn up for training. So he is prepared for this kind of situation.
“Without a doubt, the best thing to do is train with the team, but we will take it into account if the selection committee considers that he can still perform training or playing in tournaments abroad.”
Meanwhile, Faruque said the decision for Shakib to skip the Dhaka test last week came from the government, and the BCB was not part of the decision-making process.
