The second Test between India and Bangladesh will begin on Friday at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. However, just before the match, Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from the Test format. He mentioned that his last T20I match was during the World Cup, and he feels this is the right time to retire, looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup. The good news for Bangladesh fans is that Shakib has confirmed he will be available for the Kanpur Test against India. He has stated that he will retire after the Mirpur Test against South Africa.
Shakib’s performance in the Chennai Test was disappointing, as he failed to take any wickets. He scored 32 runs in the first innings and 25 in the second. His fitness was questioned, and former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal even raised concerns about including Shakib in the playing XI despite his injury. Tamim believed that Shakib should not have been part of the team for the first Test against India.
Shakib Al Hasan has been one of Bangladesh’s legendary cricketers. He has played 129 T20 Internationals for Bangladesh but has announced his retirement from the format. However, Shakib will continue to play in franchise leagues. Notably, he is the only player from Bangladesh to have played in all T20 World Cups. Reflecting on his decision, Shakib said, “I have already played my last T20 match in the T20 World Cup. We discussed this with the selectors. Considering the 2026 World Cup, this is the right time for me to retire. I hope the BCB will find some excellent players, and we will continue to perform well.”
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Shakib Al Hasan has played 70 Test matches, scoring 4,600 runs and taking 242 wickets. His Test career includes five centuries and 31 half-centuries, with his best bowling figures being 7 wickets for 36 runs. He has taken five-wicket hauls 19 times in Test cricket. In 129 T20 Internationals, Shakib has scored 2,551 runs at a strike rate of 121.25, which includes 13 half-centuries. Additionally, he has taken 149 wickets, with his best bowling performance being 5 wickets for 20 runs.
Shakib Al Hasan expressed his desire to play his final Test match in Mirpur, saying, “I have communicated to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) my wish to play my last Test in Mirpur, and they have agreed. They are trying to arrange everything so I can return to Bangladesh.” He added, “If that doesn’t happen, the match against India in Kanpur will be my final Test match.”