Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement from T20I on Thursday, before his team’s second Test against India at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur as well. The veteran player has played in every edition of the T20 World Cup since 2007 and ended the 2024 edition as the tournament’s all-time highest wicket-taker with 50 wickets as well. Speaking to reporters before the second Test, Shakib also opened up on his plans for the Test and ODI formats.
However, the all-rounder has confirmed that he hopes to play his final Test for Bangladesh in Mirpur as well. However, if security concerns impede the move, Shakib shared that the upcoming Test against India in Kanpur would be his final match in whites as well.
“Going back to Bangladesh is not a concern, but leaving Bangladesh once I go there is dangerous,” Shakib told reporters on Thursday.
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Shakib also confirmed that the upcoming Champions Trophy in early 2025 will be his last ODI series for the national team as well. Shakib, who made his international debut in 2006, is the only cricketer to achieve the double of 14,000 runs and 700 wickets across formats as well. However, Shakib Al Hasan is the third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is (149). He is also only one of two crickets to record more than 7000 runs and 300 wickets in ODIs as well.
“It’s my desire [to retire]. I’ve shared it with the BCB and the selectors,” Shakib told media in Kanpur. “They have agreed with me. They are trying to organise everything in the best possible way so that I can go back to Bangladesh and play those two Test matches, or that match in Mirpur, and finish my Test career there. And then when we play a series abroad, I can go out of the country safely. To play that [as my last] match is my desire. If that doesn’t happen, then this will be my last match.”
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“In T20Is, I felt I played my last match during the last game of the World Cup. We’ve discussed this with the selectors and the board. I’ve been looking at the 2026 T20 World Cup. This is the right time for me to move on and BCB will look into some new players. Hopefully, they will find some great players and we will perform well in the 2026 World Cup,” he concluded.
