Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan to quit international cricket in March 2025

The troubled ex-captain, facing murder charges in Bangladesh, wants to hang up his boots after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan.

Bangladesh’s former captain Shakib Al Hasan, facing prosecution at home, has announced plans to retire from international cricket in March 2025 after representing his country for 18 years.

Shakib is facing murder charges in Bangladesh, along with dozens of other members of ex-premier Sheikh Hasina’s party who are accused of culpability in a deadly police crackdown on protesters in July and August.

He has not returned home since the toppling of Hasina’s government in August but on Thursday he confirmed that he intends to play one last Test series at home.

The 37-year-old has expressed his desire to represent Bangladesh during the upcoming Test series against South Africa, but his return to the country remains doubtful amid the current political climate.

“I have said this to BCB [Bangladesh Cricket Board] and the selectors,” Shakib told reporters ahead of Friday’s second India-Bangladesh Test in Kanpur.

“They agreed with me, that they are trying to organise everything if possible, so that I can go back to Bangladesh play those two Test matches in Mirpur and finish my Test career there.”

He added: “If that doesn’t happen maybe this is my last one [Test match].”

The South Africa tour due to start on October 21 is still under a cloud, with the Proteas assessing whether Bangladesh is safe enough after last month’s revolution.

Shakib said that next year’s ICC Champion’s Trophy in Pakistan would be his last international outing.

“I have eight games to go in ODIs and the Champions Trophy will be last,” he said.

He confirmed that he had already called time on his T20 career following the World Cup in June.

“This is the right time for me to move on and BCB will look into some new players,” he added.

Shakib is arguably the South Asian nation’s greatest cricketer and one of the sport’s greatest all-rounders with more than 700 wickets and nearly 15,000 runs to his name in international cricket.

He was the driving force behind the Bangladesh team’s rise to become serious international contenders, enthralling fans through both star turns and scandals.

He remains the only player to have topped the International Cricket Council’s all-rounder rankings in all three formats simultaneously.

The veteran also played a key role in his team’s historic Test series sweep in Pakistan earlier this month and went to England to play county cricket for Surrey before heading to India.

His international career, which began in 2006, spans 70 Tests, 247 ODIs and 129 T20 international matches.