Shakib Al Hasan confirms availability Test series versus Pakistan

Bangladesh received a massive boost as talismanic all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan confirmed that he will be available for the upcoming tour of Pakistan, where Najmul Hossain Shanto's men are scheduled to play two Test matches.

Shakib's recent performances in international cricket have been way below the lofty standards he has set for himself. Also, injuries have dented his progress. The experienced campaigner is currently spearheading the Bangla Tigers in the Global T20 Canada League. The Tigers are placed at No. 2 on the points table in the tournament, which is set to conclude on August 11. Meanwhile, the first Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan will commence on August 21 in Rawalpindi.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman of cricket operations - Jalal Yunus confirmed that Shakib has expressed his interest to embark trip to Pakistan and will practice for a couple of days before linking up with the squad.

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“We spoke with Shakib, and he is available for the Pakistan series. If he doesn't have time, he will leave directly from Dubai, or he might come to Dhaka to practice for a day or two before joining the team. He will be available for the Pakistan series,” he told reporters as quoted by The Daily Star.

Bangladesh's most recent Test assignment was the two-match home series against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Shakib missed the first Test but returned for the second game, where he scored 51 runs and bagged four wickets. Bangladesh lost both the Tests comprehensively and would want to make amends on their return to the longest format of the game. Interestingly, this was only the second Test match which Shakib played since 2023. The 37-year-old has played 67 Test matches, scoring 4,505 runs and taking 237 wickets.

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Bangladesh are currently languishing at No. 8 on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table for the 2023-2025 cycle. Meanwhile, Pakistan are placed at No. 5 and will look to catapult themselves to a better position on the table with a solid performance against Bangladesh.