Dhaka, March 25 The Bangladesh Cricket Board's newly appointed chief selector, Habibul Bashar, says he wants veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to return to the country and play for at least two more years, including the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The 39-year-old Shakib, who is a member of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League party, relocated to the USA after his government was overthrown by a violent student uprising in 2024. The interim government barred him from representing the country.
However, Bashar, who took charge after the formation of a new government earlier this year, adopted a conciliatory tone towards the veteran.
Bashar said that Shakib is being considered for a return, but it would not be during the upcoming home white-ball series against New Zealand, which starts on April 17, as there is not enough time to plan it out.
"There isn't much time left before the New Zealand series, and I'm not sure how much cricket Shakib has been involved in. From what I know about him, he is not someone who will come and play the day after.
"He also needs preparation. It's not a place of emotions. Definitely, if we are thinking about Shakib, we will think in the long term," Bashar was quoted as saying by 'Cricbuzz'.
Shakib has often expressed a desire to play his last Test on home soil before retiring, but Bashar said that the celebrated cricketer still has at least two more years left in him.
"I don't think about Shakib coming for a single series and then leaving. If we can get service from him, we want that he provides that for a long time. In that regard, preparation is very important.
"First things first, he is definitely in the plans. You see, there are discussions about him in relation to the New Zealand series, which is why I want him to come prepared for a longer time. I think he still has two years," Bashar said.
"I want him for the longer term, at least to have a plan where he can play in the 2027 World Cup. So, my plans are not just for one series," he added.
Bashar was a part of the national selection committee from 2011 to 2024.