Shakib Al Hasan Reveals Comeback Plan: Wants One Final Home Series Before Retirement

Bangladesh’s legendary all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has made a significant U-turn on his international retirement plans, expressing his desire to return to the national team for one final bilateral series across all three formats before officially signing off from the game.

In a candid conversation on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Shakib clarified for the first time that he is “officially not retired from all formats.” His stated goal is to play a full home series comprising Tests, ODIs, and T20Is and retire immediately afterward, as a fitting farewell to the fans who have supported him throughout his career.

এক শেষ হোম সিরিজে তিন ফরম্যাট খেলে সুন্দর বিদায়ের স্বপ্ন সাকিবের#ShakibAlHasan #BangladeshCricket #BDCricTime pic.twitter.com/m2ctbvZJom

— bdcrictime.com (@BDCricTime) December 7, 2025

“My plan is to go back to Bangladesh, play one full series of ODI, Test, and T20, and retire… That’s what I want,” Shakib revealed. He emphasized that the farewell series would be his last, regardless of his performance, stating, “I don’t need to [play] after that.”

This announcement marks a shift from September 2024, when Shakib had declared his retirement from T20Is and his intention to retire from Tests after the home series against South Africa. However, political changes in Bangladesh led to him living in exile, unable to secure security clearance to return home. A government official later publicly confirmed he would not be allowed to play for the country.

Shakib admitted that maintaining his fitness by playing in franchise leagues worldwide has been a deliberate effort to stay ready for an eventual return. “I am hopeful… that’s the only reason I am playing,” he said.

The all-rounder also touched upon the suspect bowling action controversy that led to a temporary suspension during his county stint with Surrey in 2024. He revealed that bowling over 70 overs in a match had taken a toll, leading him to bowl with an illegal action “a little bit intentionally.” After failing his initial test, he corrected it with focused training and was cleared to resume bowling.

                                               

Relevant news