The Bangladesh Cricket Board has expressed its disappointment with Shakib Al Hasan’s plans of picking IPL over international cricket. The Board has added that they will reconsider the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given to the marquee all-rounder for featuring in the IPL.
The BCB has expressed its disappointment after all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan expressed his desire to feature in the Indian Premier League over the Test series against Sri Lanka in a letter sent to the Board. The cricketer, however, claimed that the letter was misinterpreted and his only aim behind featuring in the IPL was to prepare for the T20 World Cup that will be held later this year.
After the letter was received by the BCB, Nazmul Hasan Papon, the chief, called a meeting at his residence, following which Akram Khan, the BCB Cricket Operation chairman, expressed that they are now looking to reconsider the NOC given to Shakib for featuring in the IPL.
Speaking on the issue, Akram questioned,
What does it imply? If someone is saying that I don’t want to tour Sri Lanka, where we have two Tests, to prepare for the World Cup then what does it actually mean?
I heard that he said that I didn’t read his letter. Perhaps I misunderstood his letter. He wants to play Tests, from what he has said. In the next couple of days, we will discuss about his NOC. If he has interest, he will play Tests in Sri Lanka,
Akram added during an interview with Cricbuzz.
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 had said.
Shakib, who has recently served a ban from all forms of cricket for a year after he accepted to have breached the ICC-Corruption Code is now in the midst of controversies with the BCB, which is clearly not a good sign for Bangladesh cricket.
Shakib was earlier picked by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a price of INR 3.20 crores in the 2021 auction. The 14th edition of the IPL begins from April 9 whereas the Sri Lanka Tests start on April 21, putting Shakib’s availability for the premier T20 tournament in question.
