Bangladesh’s ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan returned to intense training a day after starting his journey in politics. On Sunday, January 7, the veteran Shakib won a seat in the parliament after contesting from Magura-1 for the Awami League.

Shakib defeated Kazi Rezaul Hossain, his closest rival, by a margin of over 1,50,000 votes. The 36-year-old did not take part in Bangladesh’s home and away series against New Zealand due to his campaigning for elections.

On Monday, January 9, after an intense schedule due to elections, Shakib returned to cricketing duties. The Khulna-born cricketer went to the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur where he took part in an indoor session under the supervision of the coach and team doctor.

Shakib is set to return to action in the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which gets underway on Friday, January 19. Shakib is set to play for the Rangpur Riders, a team that also has former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam. She played for Fortune Barishal last season before moving to Rangpur.

Shakib did not have the best of times in the World Cup as Bangladesh failed to make their way beyond the league stage, although they somehow booked their berth in the Champions Trophy to be played in Pakistan in 2025.

Shakib played 7 matches in which he scored 186 runs at an average of 26.57 with 2 half-centuries and a top score of 82 against Sri Lanka to show for his efforts. The left-arm spinner also picked up 9 wickets at an economy rate of 5.26.

Shakib is expected to play a key role when Bangladesh take part in the T20 World Cup 2024 to be held in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

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