Bangladesh cricket legend Shakib Al Hasan, widely regarded as the country’s greatest all-rounder, is holding onto hope for a final opportunity to play in front of his home fans. Despite living in exile and facing restrictions from Bangladesh authorities, Shakib dreams of one last series in his homeland before officially retiring from international cricket.
The 38-year-old cricketer, who will soon turn 39, previously announced his retirement from Tests and T20Is after Bangladesh’s series in India in 2024. However, he recently revealed that he has not retired from all formats and wants to conclude his illustrious career in Bangladesh.
Shakib Al Hasan’s Desire for a Home Farewell
Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Shakib said, “I am hopeful and that’s why I am playing, and I think it will happen and that’s the reason, the only reason I am playing.”
He elaborated on his plan to play a complete home series covering all formats – Test, ODI, and T20I – before retiring. “My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire. It can start with T20I, ODI and Test, or Test, ODI, T20I. Either way, I’m fine, but I want to play a whole series and retire. That’s what I want,” Shakib said.
With 14,730 international runs and 712 wickets, Shakib has achieved a historic double that no other cricketer has matched, making his final home series a dream for fans and a fitting end to his remarkable career.
He emphasized his commitment to stepping away from international cricket after fulfilling this wish. “I think when a player says something they try to stick to their words. They normally don’t change it all of a sudden. It doesn’t matter if I play well or not. I might play a bad series after that, if I want to play. But I don’t need to do that,” Shakib explained.
Controversy and Ban Impacting Shakib’s Return
Shakib’s hopes of a homecoming are complicated by a ban imposed by Bangladesh’s sports advisor during the interim government, Asif Mahmud Bhuiyan. The ban followed Shakib’s birthday wishes to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in September 2025, preventing him from representing Bangladesh on home soil.
Despite these challenges, Shakib remains focused on giving fans a proper farewell. “I think this is enough. It’s just a nice way to say bye to the fans that have always supported me, give something back to them, by playing a home series,” he said.
Fans around the world now wait in anticipation to see whether Bangladesh’s cricket icon will get his long-awaited home farewell before bidding adieu to international cricket.
