Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib al Hasan was bought by his previous franchise – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – at the 2021 IPL auction for INR 3.2 crores. Shakib has decided to play in the world’s biggest T20 league, skipping the away Test series against Sri Lanka, scheduled from April 21 to May 3 in Pallekele.
While Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) initially gave Shakib the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in the upcoming IPL, the board was unhappy with his lack of commitment to the national team. Days after saying that they would allow their players – Shakib and Mustafizur Rahman – to feature in the IPL, BCB said they would reconsider retracting Shakib’s NOC following a public feud over it.
Shakib’s comments about the board scheduling an away tour during the IPL did not go down well with BCB Cricket Operation Chairman Akram Khan.
But after Shakib said his comments were misinterpreted, Ismail Haider, BCB Director, clarified that the left-hander’s “NOC will remain as it is and he can go and take part in the IPL.”
According to the latest reports, Shakib will leave for India on March 28 and join his KKR teammates ahead of their first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 11 in Chennai.
However, if KKR qualifies for the playoffs, Shakib will miss the last few games as his NOC is valid up to May 18. He will have to join the Bangladesh squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that begins on May 20.
In the meantime, Shakib has started his preparations for IPL 2021 and spent hours in the nets of his own cricket academy on Wednesday. The 34-year-old tried to hone his batting skills against throwdowns and bowled a couple of overs, suggesting that he has recovered from a groin injury that ruled him out from the second Test against West Indies home.
