KANPUR: Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced his immediate retirement from T20 Internationals, stating that the second Test against India in Kanpur will be his last if he is not given a farewell match at home.
The 37-year-old cricketing legend, who has played 129 T20Is for Bangladesh, revealed his decision on the eve of the second and final Test against India. Shakib will continue to participate in franchise cricket leagues but is stepping down from international T20s.
"I have played my last T20 match in the T20 World Cup. We have discussed this with the selectors. Looking at the 2026 World Cup, this is the right time for me to move out. Hopefully, BCB will find some great players, and we will perform well," Shakib said.
Shakib, who has featured in 69 Tests, scored 4,453 runs, and taken 242 wickets, has also expressed his desire to play his final Test match in Mirpur, Bangladesh.
"I have expressed my desire to play my last Test in Mirpur to the BCB. They agreed with me. They are trying to organise everything so that I can go to Bangladesh. If that won’t happen, the match against India in Kanpur would be my last in Test cricket," he added.
In a further complication, Shakib was recently named as an accused in a murder case during political unrest in Bangladesh, which led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Shakib had been a member of Parliament under her party, the Awami League.
The cricketing world awaits to see how the Bangladesh Cricket Board responds to Shakib's requests for a farewell match at home.