Bashar wants Shakib to play till 2027 World Cup

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Monday appointed former captain Habibul Bashar as new chief selector in a four-member selection panel. 

While Bashar will take over duties next month, he could not escape the inevitable question regarding Shakib Al Hasan’s availability during a press briefing on Tuesday. 

Bashar made it clear that he was not thinking of Shakib’s participation in the New Zealand series, rather he was going to focus on Shakib’s participation for a longer period of time.

“There is not much time left before the New Zealand series and I am not sure how much cricket Shakib has been involved with. From what I know about him, he is not a guy who will come tomorrow and play the day after. He needs preparation too. It’s not a place of emotion. Definitely if we are thinking about Shakib, we will think in the long-term,” Bashar told the media.

“I don’t think about Shakib coming for a single series and then leaving. If we can get service from him, we will want that he provides that for a long time. In that regard, preparation is very important,” he added.

Asked whether he will have Shakib in his plans, Bashar relayed that he feels Shakib has two years of international cricket left and would ideally want him in the plans till the 2027 World Cup.

“First things first, he is definitely in the plans. You see there are talks about him in regards to the New Zealand series which is why I want him to come prepared for a longer time. I think he still has two years.

“Many talk about retirement, for instance, we have seen talks of Mushfiqur Rahim’s retirement. I have said that the longer they play, it’s better for us. The more we can include them, it’s better for the side. And when we pick them, it’s not so that they can come and retire.

“I want him for the longer term, at least to have that plan where he can play the 2027 World Cup. So my plans are not for one series,” Bashar relayed.

Asked whether his tenure as chief selector will see hard decisions, Bashar said he would go with his gut-feeling instead of worrying about criticism.

“It’s true that when you make a wrong decision, you do get criticised. It’s not like I will be right all the time. I will be wrong sometimes, but I’ll do what my judgement tells me to do. If I have to face criticism because of that, I will,” he said.