Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from T20 cricket and confirmed he will leave Test cricket after the Mirpur Test against South Africa.
"Already played my final T20I"
Shakib made the decision public during a press conference ahead of the second India-Bangladesh Test in Kanpur. Speaking to reporters, Shakib said he has "already played his final T20I", and wishes to big goodbye to the longer format in the home Tests against South Africa.
However, Shakib also said he fears for his safety in Bangladesh following violence between anti-government protesters and police units that ravaged the country in the last few months.
“Going back to Bangladesh is not a concern, but leaving Bangladesh once I go there is dangerous,” Shakib told reporters on Thursday, as quoted by The Indian Express.
Champions Trophy 2025 to be final ODI assignment
He also confirmed that the 2025 Champions Trophy will be his final ODI assignment for Bangladesh.
Shakib has expressed concerns over his safety after he was named in a murder case, which also accused former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other former ministers from the Awami League party.
With the announcement, Shakib confirmed his final T20I was the Super Eights match between Bangladesh and Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
Bangladesh are set to play a home Test series against South Africa in October. The status of the series was in doubt, but is likely to now go ahead after a Cricket South Africa delegation were satisfied by the security.
Since debuting in 2006, Shakib has played 446 international matches (70 Tests, 247 ODIs, 129 T20Is). He is widely considered one of the game's finest all-rounders in modern times, with over 10,000 international runs and 500 international wickets to his name.
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