Bangladesh Sports Advisor Bars Shakib Al Hasan from National Team Over Political Ties

Bangladesh's sports advisor Asif Mahmud has announced that Shakib Al Hasan will never play for the national cricket team again, citing Shakib's political involvement with the Awami League. Shakib, who served briefly as a member of parliament before the government was ousted in a student-led revolution, has been barred from representing Bangladesh following his public birthday wishes to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which Mahmud viewed as politically charged. Despite Shakib's claims that his political engagement was solely to serve his constituency and that his birthday message was personal and related to Hasina's support for cricket, Mahmud insists he will instruct the Bangladesh Cricket Board to exclude Shakib from future selections. The sports advisor emphasized that the national team cannot be represented by someone deeply tied to the Awami League, effectively ending Shakib's international career. Shakib continues to play in franchise leagues abroad but has not returned to Bangladesh since the political upheaval. This development marks a significant and controversial end to the career of Bangladesh's greatest cricketer amid ongoing political tensions in the country.