Bangladesh's cricket captain expressed confidence on Tuesday that star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will perform at his best in the upcoming Test match against Pakistan, despite recent controversies surrounding his political background. Shakib, aged 37, was previously a member of the dissolved Bangladesh parliament under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had to leave the country due to widespread protests earlier this month. The interim government recently granted permission for Shakib, who has remained silent on the political turmoil, to participate in the two-Test series against Pakistan, with the first match commencing on Wednesday.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto stated at a press conference, "He has been playing this game for a long time, so he understands his role and how to prepare. I am not concerned about his political career." When questioned about whether the political issues might impact Shakib's performance, Shanto responded, "I don't believe so, as he is a professional cricketer, and we view him solely as a cricketer, honestly." Shanto further added, "I hope he will perform exceptionally well in this series."
Shakib is a crucial all-rounder for Bangladesh, having scored 4,505 runs in 67 Tests and taken 237 wickets as a spinner, the highest by any Bangladeshi bowler in Test cricket. Protests in Dhaka against Shakib's inclusion in the team have been vocal, with criticism from former Bangladesh Cricket Board member Rafiqul Islam for his silence amid clashes between protesters and security forces. Shakib joined the team in Pakistan after participating in the Global T20 League in Canada, where he faced similar opposition.
The political unrest in Dhaka disrupted the team's practice sessions, but the Pakistan Cricket Board's invitation for the team to arrive early provided some relief. Despite a poor record against Pakistan, having lost 12 of the last 13 Tests with only one draw, Shanto remains optimistic, saying, "We have a balanced side, and I hope we can play some good cricket. I believe the record can be changed; it's challenging, but we are confident we can achieve something special."
The Rawalpindi Test faces potential disruption due to predicted rain throughout the five days. The second Test is scheduled to take place at the same venue starting August 30. The teams for the match are as follows: Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Khurram Shahzad, 11 Mohammad Ali. Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Hasan Mahmud/Nahid Rana.
