Md Abu Talha Sarker, Dhaka: Bangladesh’s premier all-rounder and its globe-trotting cricketer Shakib Al Hasan will be exonerated from his shocking yearlong ban on Wednesday (28th October). He will available to play his games across all the formats from Thursday.
Since his appalling ban, Shakib’s countless diehard fans and well-wishers at home and abroad have been waiting with bated breath when their beloved cricketer and idol will come back to the cricket field again and when they will get to see him in action.
They all are expecting that their iconic all-rounder will shine in red-green jersey for the Tigers and make them proud with his jaw-dropping performance for the team and the country.
Now, it is obviously opaque that he will mark his long-awaiting comeback to cricket with domestic tournament in coming November though he was expected to come back in cricket with international cricket.
Shakib was set to play in the second Test of the three-match Test series in Sri Lanka but the series was finally suspended for an indefinite period in the wake of the standoff between Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) over quarantine period.
Expressing his optimism about Shakib, Bangladesh Head Coach Russell Domingo said he sees him (Shakib) as an indomitable and irresistible player in the days to come after the ban goes.
“A little bit of time will be needed for him to get his confidence back. We know all what type of cricketer he is. Hopefully, he will overcome his hurdles and get his usual form back and pass a good time personally and team-wise in 2021,” Russell Domingo said.
Before flying to South Africa, the coach urged Shakib’s numerous fans not to have sky high hopes from him right away. He bats for him to give some more time to be settled.
Realising the situation, he said it is not possible for a cricketer to deliver a big gift returning to cricket after a long hiatus.
“I talked to him yesterday (Wednesday). He has been working hard with his fitness. Like the other players, Shakib has to play some more games returning to cricket after a long break. If you think he will be at his best that is not possible right now. We have to give him time,” Domingo told the media.
“He was out of cricket for so long. But he is raring to play cricket. We know he was the best all-rounder in the world. But he has to find out his own course of action to mark his comeback,” he added.
In addition, Shakib returned home from the United States of America (USA) on September 2. He went to his alma mater Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP) to gain his fitness along with honing his skills and techniques ahead of the suspended Sri Lanka series.
He opted for BKSP as his practice ground where he passed big bulk of his learning period. He did an intense practice session at BKSP under the observation of a slew of coaches provided by the BKSP authority because there was a provision for him from the International Cricket Council (ICC) that he will not be able to use BCB-provided infrastructure facilities during his ban period.
Shakib had set his target to play Lanka Premier League (LPL) after the Test series in Sri Lanka. However, he will be unable to play in the LPL as the BCB will not give him Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to play LPL instead of domestic cricket tournament.
Meanwhile, BCB sketched Corporate T20 Cricket League in the aftermath of BCB President’s Cup where Shakib will be given captaincy of a team. BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon already announced during the presentation ceremony of the President’s Cup final that they will make Shakib captain of a team. He will be available for the five-team Corporate T20 League in November.
In the meantime, Shakib returned to the USA to his family after his month-long training session. He is expected to come back to home today.
It may be mentioned that the ICC, slapped a two-year ban with a suspended year in 2019 on Shakib for not reporting to the Anti-Corruption Unit about approaches from the bookies on different occasions in 2018. UNB
