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Published : 15 May 2025, 12:57 AM
Bangladesh’s star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan is poised to return to competitive cricket after more than five months away from the game, joining Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The former Bangladesh captain confirmed to bdnews24.com on Wednesday that he will represent the PSL franchise.
However, questions continue to swirl around his future in international cricket.
Shakib, now 38, last played on Nov 30 in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, turning out for the Bangla Tigers. His most recent appearance for the national team was during the Asia Cup in September, in a match against India.
He was initially expected to return for a farewell Test series in Bangladesh, but the plan was shelved amid shifting political developments.
Since then, he has been absent from the national squads, further clouding the outlook of his international career.
During his time away, Shakib’s bowling action was brought under scrutiny, though he regained approval to resume bowling in March after addressing the concerns.
Lahore Qalandars signed him ahead of the PSL’s resumption, though the tournament was recently suspended amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir crisis, which led to a military conflict.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has also been suspended in the wake of the crisis.
Several foreign PSL players have left Pakistan and are unlikely to return, creating opportunities for new signings like Shakib.
He will be joining fellow Bangladeshi cricketer Rishad Hossain, who also plays for Lahore. The team currently sits fourth on the table with nine points from nine matches.
This will mark Shakib’s third stint in the PSL. He last played in the league eight years ago — for Karachi Kings in 2016 and Peshawar Zalmi in 2017.
In 2016, he scored 126 runs in eight innings at an average of 18 and claimed three wickets with an economy rate of 7.95. The following year, he scored 55 runs in five innings and took five wickets at an economy rate of 7.26.
Lahore are scheduled to face Peshawar in the final pool-stage match in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
