Bangladesh’s experienced all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is set to play his first match in nearly six months, starting with the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Leaving his hotel room and pulling his kit bag, Shakib made his way towards the team bus. His eyes showed traces of sleep, and his face reflected fatigue. Yet, there was excitement in his voice. After a long time, he was heading to a practice session with a real match ahead. This is how Shakib appeared in a Lahore Qalandars video clip. Later, sweating through batting, bowling, and fielding drills, the seasoned Bangladesh player said he is ready to return to the field.
If everything goes smoothly, Shakib will make his comeback in the PSL on Sunday with Lahore Qalandars after almost six months. The all-rounder will play at 9 PM Bangladesh time in Rawalpindi, representing his former team Peshawar Zalmi.
Having arrived in Pakistan for the PSL, Shakib had just one training session before the match. From leaving the team hotel to arriving at the ground, Lahore Qalandars’ cameras followed him throughout practice.
This will be Shakib’s third time playing in the PSL. He has played several seasons with different teams while representing the national side. When leaving the hotel, with sleepy eyes, he said he enjoys playing in Pakistan.
“Every time I have played in Pakistan, I have enjoyed it. It’s a great place for cricket and for me personally. I am very happy to be back here,” he said.
Shakib last played recognized cricket on November 30, in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for the Bangla Tigers. His most recent official match was a Test for Bangladesh at the end of September during their India tour. Judging from the video, it seems he has gained some weight.
In the Lahore Qalandars video, Shakib is seen doing physical exercises on the field and playing some warm-up football with his teammates. He also practiced fielding for a while before moving on to bowling.
Shakib was previously banned from bowling due to a flawed bowling action, but he has since corrected it and returned. Ahead of this match after a long break, he wanted to regain his bowling rhythm.
“I wanted to bowl a few overs to get my rhythm back. I think I managed to do what I wanted. It’s been a long time since I last played a match, so there is some rust. That’s why I wanted to be sure I am ready for tomorrow’s game.”
He also spent some time batting in the nets. After the session, the 38-year-old all-rounder said he feels ready for the match.
“It feels good. One session alone is definitely not ideal, but I will try to make the most of this training session.”
“I think today was a really good day for me. I had a good sleep, which was necessary. Then after some recovery, I had a good session with batting, bowling, and fielding here. I feel prepared.”
Though he was not picked in the PSL auction this time, Shakib got a chance to play when the tournament resumed after a suspension.
After eight years, he is back in the PSL. His previous experiences were not very successful. In 2016, playing for Karachi Kings, he scored 126 runs in 8 innings at an average of 18, and took 3 wickets at an economy of 7.95 runs per over. In 2017, representing Peshawar Zalmi, he scored 55 runs in 5 innings at an average of 13.75, took 5 wickets, and had an economy of 7.26 runs per over.
