Shakib’s homecoming takes a U-turn

Shakib Al Hasan’s homecoming took a complete U-turn yesterday as the all-rounder chose not to return to Bangladesh to play his farewell Test, seemingly heeding the advice of the Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan.

Shakib was expected to arrive in Dhaka yesterday night and join his teammates in a practice session today at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur ahead of the opening Test against South Africa from October 21, which was also set to be his final red-ball game for the Tigers.

However, it was reported on Wednesday midnight that the ace all-rounder might be reconsidering his plan to return home for his Test swansong due to security concerns.

“I am not sure where I am going next, but it is almost sure that I am not going home,” Shakib told ESPNcricinfo, a cricket website, yesterday when asked about his plan of action after he reached the UAE on Wednesday from where he was supposed to board a Bangladesh-bound flight.

After a day of speculations of what might have prompted Shakib to decide not to come to Bangladesh, Sports Adviser Asif informed the media in the evening that he had advised the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to discourage Shakib from returning, fearing public anger.

“This decision was made to ensure the safety of players and to protect the country’s image,” Asif said in a press conference, which put an end to the day-long drama.

Earlier in the day, the news of Shakib not boarding the Bangladesh-bound flight spread like wildfire. The all-rounder also communicated with few media outlets, saying security concerns prompted him to change his travel plans.

However, when contacted, the BCB could not provide an explanation on what was happening. Top officials like BCB president Faruque Ahmed and CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury were in the UAE and could not be reached but those who are in Bangladesh claimed they have no knowledge on the matter.

Deputy press secretary to the chief adviser Azad Majumder told The Daily Star that there was no restriction on Shakib returning to Bangladesh.

“Shakib can return to Bangladesh anytime. It’s his decision whether he will arrive here or not,” Majumder informed.

In the meantime, a protest started at the main entrance of the Mirpur stadium where some 100 protesters carrying different banners and boards demanded the BCB to not allow Shakib, a former lawmaker of the ousted Awami League government, to play the South Africa Test and also submitted a memorandum.

However, the issue seems far from over with a conflicting statement coming in from another government official, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, on the same day.

“All I know is that he [Shakib] himself has said that he is not coming due to security concerns. I am not aware of any official word from the government for which he will not be able to come to the country.”