Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has added that his decision to not include his name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction and Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft has come from a desire to play more in international games. However, Shakib is currently working on an injury that kept him out of the action from home series against New Zealand. He led Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup but missed the matches against India and Australia due to injury as well.
“I did not give my name in IPL and so that a window will be opened and when my manager gave my name in PSL I told him to withdraw it. My plan is to give all this time to the national team because I will sacrifice the franchise tournaments that I used to play,” Shakib told reporters during a private programme in the USA.”I am playing in three formats and hope that I can continue that but no one knows about the future and what is in store. But till now I have the desire to play cricket for a long time.”
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Meanwhile, Shakib Al Hasan was roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL 2023 mini-auction but he pulled out before the tournament began because of international commitments and personal reasons as well. His last IPL appearance came way back in the 2021 season.
“I was hoping that I will be going to New Zealand for the ODI and T20 series. As of now the team is departing for the tour and I was planning in that way because I felt I will be okay by four weeks. But I have consulted a doctor two days back and he asked me to wait as I will need another two weeks and later start the rehabilitation,” Shakib Al Hasan said.
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“It is taking more time than expected as it will need six weeks and the next option is that after doing the rehabilitation and gaining fitness I don’t see any other way before BPL and there is election and so I will be busy. So I will return to competitive cricket through the BPL and can play from the start of BPL by getting full fitness,” Shakib Al Hasan concluded.
