Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has supported veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s ability to do well with the bat and ball in the Test series in Pakistan, amid the political turbulence back home. Despite the situation, the interim government permitted Shakib Al Hasan to play in the crucial Test series against Pakistan, with the first match set to begin on Wednesday as well.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Shanto said, “He has played this game for so long, so he knows his role and how to prepare himself. I am not thinking about his political career. I don’t think so because he is a professional cricketer; we all treat him as a cricketer, to be honest. I hope he will do something special in this series,”

However, Shakib Al Hasan joined the Bangladesh squad in Pakistan last week after participating in the Global T20 League in Canada. The political situation in Dhaka disrupted Bangladesh’s preparations for the series as well. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board extended an invitation for the team to arrive four days before to give them a much-needed opportunity to prepare for the series.

“We have a balanced side, and I hope we play some good cricket. I think the record can be changed. It’s not easy, but we believe that we can do some special things,” Najmul Hossain Shanto concluded.