Sports Desk:

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Faruque Ahmed said on Sunday that they have let Shakib decide whether he is in a mental state to play for the national team or not.

Shakib last played for Bangladesh in September in India where he announced his retirement from T20Is and hoped to play his final Test against South Africa at home, but that didn’t happen due to security reasons as there is a murder case filed against the southpaw during the July movement.

Since then, a lot has been discussed whether Shakib will play for the national team again. Faruque cleared on Sunday that he can’t provide a definitive answer since the board has very little to say in this regard.

“As for Shakib Al Hasan, I cannot provide a definitive answer. I want him to play, but his absence is not related to the cricket board. The reasons preventing his participation involve law enforcement and the court. It’s not easy for me to address this,” he told the reporters during the mascot launching program of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League at a city hotel on Sunday.

“If the issue is resolved, I still believe Shakib has the ability to play for the national team. However, playing in franchise leagues abroad and playing for the national team are not the same. The national team requires a certain combination, and Shakib doesn’t seem to be in the mental state to contribute at that level right now. We’ve left this decision to him,” he added.

The ODI squad for Bangladesh’s ongoing West Indies tour is supposed to be announced soon excluding the southpaw. He will also not feature in the T20Is as he will be busy with his LPL T10 duties with Galle Marvels during that time.