Will Play Till 2027 To Win The World Cup For Bangladesh, Says Shakib Al Hasan

Superstar Bangladesh all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan says that while he plans to hang up his boots after the 2023 World Cup, however, if he doesn’t win, he may extend his career four more years.

Shakib Al Hasan, who has been part of 4 50-over ICC World Cups since 2007, had a prosperous tournament in 2019 where he scored 606 runs and picked 11 wickets. Despite the left-hander’s brilliant individual show, Bangladesh finished 8th on the points table, but not before showing a glimpse of their rise in international cricket with victories over South Africa, West Indies, and Afghanistan.

In a ‘Daraz Live’ chat show, Shakib Al Hasan was asked when will Bangladesh win the World Cup.

The southpaw promptly replied, “2023, because it would be my last World Cup.”

When counter-questioned if he didn’t win in 2023, the 34-year-old said, “Then I would keep playing till the 2027 World Cup to win it.”

Shakib Al Hasan gets NOC for IPL after BCB threatened to reconsider

Shakib Al Hasan and the board were recently involved in a public dispute over the all-rounder’s choice to participate in the IPL 2021 over playing the 2-match Test series against Sri Lanka, so much so that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) even threatened to reconsider his NOC.

But, finally, the board agreed to let him go play for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked the all-rounder for INR 3.2 crores.

Akram Khan, the BCB Cricket Operation chairman, had slammed the left-hander for saying that he was misinterpreted by the BCB regarding his decision to play in the IPL over the Test series in Sri Lanka. Akram Khan has said that the board may reconsider retracting Shakib’s NOC. Now, Ismail Haider, the BCB Director, has confirmed that the southpaw is given the license to play in the IPL.

“NOC will remain as it is and he can go and take part in IPL,” the BCB Director said as reported by Cricbuzz.

However, it is reported that he isn’t allowed to play the entire tournament – Shakib’s NOC is valid up to May 18 and will be expected to return for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that is supposed to start on May 20

Al Hasan had earlier said that the BCB has misinterpreted him on his decision to skip the Test series. He points out that the T20 World Cup later this year is staged in India, and hence in order to prepare for the tournament, he wants to play in the IPL.

“Those who keep saying that I don’t want to play Tests, I am sure they didn’t read my letter. I did not mention anywhere in my letter that I do not want to play Tests.

“I mentioned in my letter that I want to play in the IPL to prepare myself properly for World Cup (T20 World Cup) but despite that Akram bhai (BCB cricket operation chairman) has repeatedly said that I do not want to play Tests,” Shakib Al Hasan said in his letter.