Bangladesh’s ex-captain Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from international cricket by March next year amidst facing murder charges in his home country. The former leader of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, and several party members, including Shakib, are accused in a deadly police crackdown on protesters.
Shakib, aged 37, has not returned to Bangladesh following the recent revolution and intends to make the Champion’s Trophy in Pakistan his last international appearance. He expressed his desire to play in the two-match Test series against South Africa as part of his farewell.
The veteran all-rounder, who has excelled in all three formats of the game, has already retired from T20 cricket and plans to finish his ODI career at the Champions Trophy in February. Shakib’s contributions have been vital in Bangladesh’s rise as a competitive cricketing nation, and he remains the only player to top the ICC all-rounder rankings across all formats simultaneously.
Having represented Bangladesh in 70 Tests, 247 ODIs, and 129 T20 matches since his debut in 2006, Shakib’s retirement marks the end of an era in Bangladesh cricket.