Share

Unhappy Mushfiqur respects Shakib's decision

Cape Town - Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim admits he is not happy that Shakib Al Hasan decided to skip the upcoming Test series in South Africa, but respects the all-rounder's decision.

Shakib, who is the number-one ranked all-rounder across all three formats, will miss the two-match Test series against the Proteas, starting later this month, after his request to take a break from Tests was granted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

The 30-year-old has arguably become his country's most important player since he made his international debut in 2006.

Mushfiqur expressed his dissatisfaction when asked how he felt about his star player's decision.

"Obviously I am not happy, being the captain of the side," Mushfiqur told The Daily Star website.

"He asked for a break to have some rest from his workload, that's his personal decision which I also respect.

"At the same time, if he was injured we would have had to play without him, so that's part of life."

In the absence of Shakib, Bangladesh recalled experienced batsman Mahmudullah Riyad into the 15-man Test squad for the trip to South Africa.

The 31-year-old Mahmudullah, who has played in 33 Tests, was dropped from the longest format in March after a poor run of form and was not included in the squad for the recent two-match series at home against Australia, which the Tigers drew one-all.

"The inclusion of Riyad Bhai will add some experience to our side as he is a very seasoned campaigner for us," said Mushiqfur.

"But still I would say Shakib is Shakib, and we are going to miss him badly."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE