Faruque Ahmed: I believe Shakib can still play for the national team

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Faruque Ahmed said on Sunday that he still believes Shakib al Hasan can contribute to the national team, if cleared by law agencies and government, but the final decision remains to be taken by the experienced campaigner.

Shakib, who has retired from Test and T20Is, had hoped to play his final Test on home soil. However, security concerns thwarted those plans. He did not participate in the recent ODI series last month against Afghanistan and now isn't part of the series against West Indies, Bangladesh's only ODI rubber before the tournament.

Shakib, once linked to the fallen Awami League regime and implicated in a murder case, seems yet to receive green signal from the respective authorities to play for the national team.

"As for Shakib Al Hasan, I cannot provide a definitive answer. I want him to play, but his absence is not related to the cricket board. The reasons preventing his participation involve law enforcement and the court. It's not easy for me to address this.

"If the issue is resolved, I still believe Shakib has the ability to play for the national team," Faruque told reporters during the mascot launching programme of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League at a city hotel in Dhaka on Sunday.

"However, playing in franchise leagues abroad and playing for the national team are not the same. The national team requires a certain combination, and Shakib doesn't seem to be in the mental state to contribute at that level right now. We've left this decision to him," he said.