Shakib Al Hasan returns for last two T20Is against Zimbabwe, marks comeback after almost 10 months

Veteran Bangladesh all rounder Shakib Al Hasan returns to the fold followed by an elongated hiatus as the Bangladesh Cricket Board's selectors pick him for the 15-member squad that will face Zimbabwe in the fourth and fifth T20Is, scheduled for May 10 and 12 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur.

Shakib's last 20-over game for Bangladesh was a Player of the Match performance against Afghanistan in the second and final T20I, in which he registered 2/15 in three overs. Moreover, he also scored an unbeaten 18* (11) to guide Bangladesh to a series-clinching victory. He was looking all set to play the white-ball series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, however, an eye condition and a finger injury were the prime reasons for him not being able to feature in the aforesaid series.

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Taking charge across all formats this year, Najmul Hossain Shanto stepped in as captain, replacing the seasoned all-rounder. At the southpaw's behest, the all-rounder was excluded from the initial three T20Is against Zimbabwe, as he sought to engage in the Dhaka Premier Divison Cricket League to hone his skills for international cricket.

Shakib played domestic tournament to prepare for his international return

Representing the  Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, he scored 262 runs in six matches with a highest score of 107, with one century and as many half-centuries. With the ball, Shakib took nine wickets after bowling 56 overs conceding 223 runs. In the final of the tournament which was played on May 6, 2024, against Prime Bank Cricket Club, Shakib bowled extremely well as he ended up with figures reading 10-2-42-2. However, he didn't disturb the scorers as he got dismissed for a golden duck, with his team ending up losing by 199 runs to end runners-up.

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Bangladesh's 15-member squad for the fourth and fifth T20Is against Zimbabwe: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Litton Kumar Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Soumya Sarkar, Tanvir Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin