Never threatened to quit international cricket: Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has refuted reports that, in an argument with the newly appointed head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, he had threatened to quit Tests and One Day Internationals if he was not allowed to complete his Caribbean Premier League (CPL) commitments.

Shakib was asked by Hathurusingha to cut short this CPL stint with Barbados Tridents and return home early, to join the preparatory camp for the West Indies series that starts on August 20.

The 27-year-old made a counterproposal saying that he will stay till August 16 – which marks the closure of the domestic T20 league – and join them in the West Indies straightaway just four days ahead of the first ODI; the offer was rejected by Hathurusingha, which resulted in a heated argument between the two sides.

"I did not make this comment, it was the coach's comment," Shakib clarified to the reporters at the Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka. "Why should I say something like this? If I get angry and tell my father that I don't want to eat, will it come out in the news? It is a simple issue.

“If I didn't wish to play for Bangladesh, would I have returned today? I would have left without telling anyone. I want to play for Bangladesh at least till the 2023 World Cup."

He also revealed that he had apologised for the untoward incident, to the newly appointed coach. ESPNcricinfo quoted the former Bangladesh captain as saying: “I was angry and I said a few things that I shouldn't have, but I said sorry and he accepted that as well. Because I was on a flight for ten hours I couldn't talk to him and that's why he probably complained in a letter.

“I didn't have time to talk to him. I tried to reason with him and explain that should I come back for just ten days? He told me that look this is a team game and asked me to stay in the camp. He showed his logic and I showed mine. At the end of the day it went his way."

Having represented his country in 205 matches, the spinning all-rounder, who is ranked world No. 2 in ODIs and 3 in Tests, has over 7000 international runs and 300 international wickets and is one of the most sought-after names in domestic leagues.