BCB To Consider On Shakib Al Hasan's Availability For IPL 2021 Final If KKR Qualifies

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is currently considering plans about allowing veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the IPL final.

Shakib, who is currently playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the playoffs of IPL 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has missed the team’s first practice match against Sri Lanka ahead of their qualifiers campaign for the T20 World Cup.

KKR defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets on Monday in Sharjah in the Eliminator match to set up a meeting with Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 2 on Wednesday (October 13).

We have to take a lot of things into consideration: BCB CEO on Shakin Al Hasan’s availability for KKR

In case if KKR wins then they qualify for the final against MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings on October 15 in Dubai and then it becomes a challenge for the 34-year-old Shakib as he will be in a situation to choose between his franchise match and national duty.

Bangladesh kick off their T20 World Cup campaign in the first qualifier match against Scotland on October 17 in  Oman. Shakib, who by then will have missed two practice games for the Tigers, will have to rush to Muscat from Dubai.

BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said the board needs to consider a lot of things before taking any call further and as far as the player’s practice is concerned, the CEO feels he is having good games in IPL.

“We have to take a lot of things into consideration as to how much time he is getting for rest if his team goes into the final and if he wants to play in that game whether he will have sufficient rest or not and we are working on it after taking relevant information about it,” Chowdhury told Cricbuzz.

”As he (Shakib) is carrying momentum playing competitive cricket in IPL so we are taking that into consideration as it is much more intense than the practice game,” he added. 

Shakib Al Hasan will move from one bubble to another

Since Shakib will have to fly to Oman there will be another concern regarding quarantine rules as he will be moving from one bio-secure bubble to another. Chowdhury said the board is in talks with the team management about Shakib’s travel and quarantine period.

“Shakib will move from one bubble to another bubble (one country to another). We have to make sure everything is in order and we are working out on that as well,” Chowdhury said.

“We are connected with the team and team management. We are in talks with them about all the options about Shakib’s moving from Dubai to Oman. But first of all our eyes are on tomorrow’s second qualifier and then we will decide,” he added.

Apart from Scotland, Bangladesh will be playing against host Oman and Papua New Guinea in the Group B of the qualifiers stage.

Also Read: IPL 2021: Would Probably Go With Shakib Al Hasan If Andre Russell Doesn’t Bowl, Reckons Gautam Gambhir