Ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan stated his current focus is solely on cricket, without making long-term career plans. As he departed for the USA to participate in the Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament, Shakib outlined his immediate schedule, which includes playing in the MLC and Canada’s Global T20 tournament. Following these commitments, he plans to participate in the Test series against Pakistan.
Shakib, who had a subpar performance in the recent T20 World Cup, has faced criticism and calls for his retirement at age 37. Previously, Shakib mentioned his intention to retire after the 2025 Champions Trophy but recently expressed a desire to play in the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, he now appears to be reevaluating his future.
"I don’t have any plan for myself at this moment," Shakib said. "I need to understand my physical condition. At this moment, it is not possible for me to plan for the next three or four years. I think it's better to plan for three or six months."
Reflecting on Bangladesh's T20 World Cup performance, Shakib acknowledged that while the team achieved their initial goal of reaching the Super Eight, they fell short in the subsequent phase. Despite winning three group stage matches, Bangladesh lost all three Super Eight matches, missing out on a semifinal spot.
Shakib noted, "Maybe we didn't play all-out cricket. We didn’t get the kind of results we expected or the kind of results we had a chance of getting." When asked about the team’s failure to advance to the semifinals, he said, "It is difficult to say. The coach, captain, team, and others in the cricket operations will discuss together to sort it out."
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