DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has said that it is reconsidering giving No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.
This comes after Shakib had openly slammed BCB for misinterpreting his letter when he asked the board for allowance to play in the IPL and not take part in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Akram Khan, BCB’s cricket operations chairman, has now said that if Shakib wants to play the Test matches, then it will be considered in the coming days.
“I heard that he said that I didn’t read his letter. Perhaps I misunderstood his letter. He wants to play Tests, from what he has said. In the next couple of days, we will discuss his NOC. If he has an interest, he will play Tests in Sri Lanka. We will decide about the rest after hearing the whole interview,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Akram as saying.
“Shakib wrote in the letter that he wants to play the IPL instead of the Test series in Sri Lanka,” he added.
Earlier, Shakib had hit out at the BCB for suggesting that he does not want to play the longest format of the game. Shakib clarified that he just doesn’t want to play the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka as he wants to play the IPL to prepare himself for this year’s T20 World Cup which will be played in India.
“These two Tests are our last matches in the World Test Championship so it is not as if we are going to play the final. We are at the very bottom of the points table. I don’t think it makes much of a difference. The other major reason is that the World Cup T20 is in India later this year. It is a very important tournament where we have much to achieve. There isn’t much to achieve in these two Tests. I think it is a better option that I prepare myself for something bigger,” Shakib told Cricfrenzy, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
“Those who keep saying that I don’t want to play Tests, I am sure they didn’t read my letter. I didn’t mention anywhere in my letter to the BCB that I don’t want to play Tests. I wrote that I want to play the IPL to prepare myself for the World Cup,” he added.
Shakib will be seen playing for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in this year’s IPL after he was bought by the franchise for Rs 3.2 crore in the players’ auction held in February.