Leading all-rounder Shakib al Hasan threatens to quit international cricket

It’s the first time a Bangladeshi cricketer has openly threatened to quit international cricket

World No.2 all-rounder in ODIs and No.3 in Tests, Bangladesh’s Shakib-al-Hasan has given a threat to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that he’ll stop playing Tests and ODIs after the board asked him to cut short his participation in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and return home early for training.

The 2nd edition of CPL T20 will take place from July 11 to August 16 this year, and Shakib is a part of Barbados Tridents in the tournament. However, the national board has organised a national camp for all cricketers, and want Shakib to return home on August 1 from the T20 league.

Two days ago when BCB made this request to Shakib, the all-rounder made this threat to coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who then notified the same to BCB president Nazmul Hasan.

“I have received a letter in this regard,” Nazmul told local Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo. “ I don't understand how he [Shakib] can say such a thing. I want to speak to them in person. If this is indeed true, nobody will be spared. There will be no compromise on discipline.”

According to ESPNCricinfo, Shakib is likely to join the camp, which had begun on July 1, on Sunday, but faces harsh consequences of issuing this threat. The all-rounder requires a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the national board to participate in CPL, which may be denied to him now.

“There is very little possibility to give the NOC [No-Objection Certificate]. He has broken the discipline. We are very strict in this regard. The board will take a decision on giving him the NOC in the July 7 meeting,” said Nazmul.

Bangladeshi cricketers had last year faced a similar dilemma when due to a tour to Zimbabwe, Shakib and Tamim Iqbal missed the chance to participate in IPL.

West Indies ace spinner Sunil Narine also raised a similar controversy in IPL this year when in order to play to final, he couldn’t report back home for a training camp on the deadline set by the West Indies board and had to miss the Test series against New Zealand, which the hosts lost 1-2.

Having faced a 3-match ban earlier this year, a BCB disciplinary committee is already looking into the allegations of a supposed brawl between the all-rounder and a spectator during the India series recently.