Shakib last featured for Bangladesh during a Test match in Kanpur in 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI

Shakib Al Hasan has been away from international cricket for nearly a couple of years, but the former Bangladesh captain remains optimistic about a return to the national side despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding his future.

Speaking to  Sportstar on Wednesday, Shakib acknowledged the unpredictability of the situation back home and kept his hopes alive. “The thing is, the situation in Bangladesh can change all of a sudden. You never know what happens tomorrow, so that’s why I’m still hopeful,” Shakib said.

While maintaining a calm outlook, he admitted that his comeback is not entirely in his hands. “I don’t think too much about what will happen. Every day, I’m trying to move forward in a new way. As far as making it back to the Bangladesh team is concerned, I don’t think it’s in my control. But, I’m trying to find a solution,” Shakib, whose last Test match was against India in Kanpur in 2024, said.

In the city for the jersey launch of the EUT20 Belgium, Shakib also shed light on his recent interaction with his long-time teammate and friend, Tamim Iqbal, who is now serving as the interim president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). Despite their conversation, there has been no progress regarding his return.

The veteran all-rounder did not hold back while criticising both the BCB and the previous interim government over the team’s absence from the T20 World Cup in India earlier this year, a decision taken over security concerns.

“It was a very bad decision from the then government, and at the same time, the BCB, too, played along, taking a strong stance. And, in the end, the players suffered,” Shakib said.

“If the BCB had an issue with the BCCI over certain issues, they should have sorted it out, rather than burning the bridge with the ICC. That was terrible.”

Published on Apr 29, 2026