DHAKA – Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan left Bangladesh for India today in a bid to play the Indian Premier League (IPL) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
He will have to stay quarantine for seven days before joining the practice session with KKR which will start their IPL campaign on April 11, by facing off Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Shakib, however, was supposed to leave the country on March 28. He chose to reach India a day before the scheduled time.
The premier all-rounder of the world has been in headlines following his outburst against the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) directors in a facebook live.
Shakib was not the part of IPL last season due to his ICC-imposed ban. Therefore it is obvious he wants to make this IPL memorable one.
Moreover, he wants to take preparation for the upcoming World T20, which will also be held in India, through this IPL as he wrote in his application to the BCB.
Since the IPL coincides with Bangladesh’s Test series against Sri Lanka, he naturally would miss the Test series if he plays IPL. He is granted NOC to play IPL but the situation got worsened when Cricket Operations Chief Akram
Khan said Shakib doesn’t want to play Test cricket. After his statement Shakib was criticized vehemently by the fans and cricket pundits.
Shakib claimed that he never said he won’t play Test cricket rather he wants to play IPL for taking a better preparation for the World T20.
In a facebook live show, Shakib claimed Akram Khan probably didn’t read his letter properly and made a comment publicly that tarnished his image. He also criticized some of the directors for not doing their activities properly.
In the wake of situation, Akram Khan said, Shakib’s NOC for IPL will be reconsidered if he wants to play Test series in Sri Lanka.
As the situation gradually became heated, Shakib returned to country from USA and started practice for IPL at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Shakib’s NOC is valid up to May 18 and he is expected to return for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka that is scheduled to start on May 20. It means he could play the play-off matches if KKR ends as top four side
in IPL. BSS
