On October 7, 2006, a nervous yet fearless Shakib Al Hasan stepped onto the field in Mohali for his first ICC event match, just two months after his international debut. Bangladesh had lost that game against a vastly superior Sri Lanka in the Champions Trophy, but the 19-year-old left-hander stood tall, crafting a team-high, unbeaten 67 -- an innings that whispered of the greatness to come.

A little over eighteen years later, that story should have reached its natural conclusion, with Shakib signing off in the very tournament where he first made his mark. Instead, when Bangladesh boarded their flight to the UAE for the Champions Trophy, their finest product was missing.

The Champions Trophy was supposed to be his final stage. Before the Kanpur Test last year, Shakib spoke openly about bowing out after the 2025 edition. Instead, his career ended in limbo. The Bangladesh jersey he had worn in battle for nearly two decades never touched his shoulders again.

His absence had little to do with form or age. Off-field turmoil pulled him away. When the Awami League government fell on August 5, the political landscape shifted. Shakib, associated with the ruling party, was caught in the storm. The writing was on the wall.

Then came the final blow. In a County match, his bowling action was reported, leading to suspension following failed bowling-action tests. And with that, Shakib's 18-year journey in ICC events ended abruptly after having appeared in a staggering 16 marquee tournaments, featuring five ODI World Cups.

No fitting farewell at a mega event. No last walk to the crease. Yet, the bitter irony remains: Bangladesh might not have even been in the Champions Trophy if not for Shakib.

November 6, 2023. Delhi. Bangladesh were in a free fall following six straight losses in the World Cup. However, qualification for the Champions Trophy was on the line. A loss to Sri Lanka would end Bangladesh's hopes.

Shakib, captain in name and spirit, knew what was at stake. After Sri Lanka had started strong, he struck twice; the dangerous Sadeera Samarawickrama, his second victim. Then came the moment that had the cricket world divided.

Angelo Mathews arrived at the crease late due to a helmet malfunction. Shakib appealed. The umpires had no choice -- Mathews was timed out, the first such dismissal in international cricket history. Critics called it unsporting, while others saw it as ruthless pragmatism.

Then, with the bat, he delivered once more. A blistering 82 off 65 balls. A 169-run stand with Najmul Hossain Shanto. It was their first ICC event win over Sri Lanka. More importantly, Bangladesh had finished eighth by the time the tournament ended, qualifying for the Champions Trophy by the slimmest of margins -- on net run rate.

And yet, when the team prepared for the Champions Trophy, Shakib remained out of the frame. Even the Bangladesh captain Shanto was left an agitated figure when asked a Shakib-related question in the press conference, which took place before the team departed for the UAE. Can one blame him, though? Entering an ICC event without a player who had managed to somehow station himself mostly at the top of ODI rankings since 2009, it may well be that Shakib's teammates are trying a little too hard to move on without him.

The Champions Trophy had been the setting for some of his finest moments: his debut in 2006; the unforgettable partnership with Mahmudullah in 2017; guiding Bangladesh to their first-ever ICC semifinal appearance. And now, it was the stage to complete the circle, culminating an illustrious career.

But life rarely offers the endings we expect. What is lotted cannot be blotted, they say, so perhaps this tournament was never meant to be his swansong. Instead, he remains a figure frozen in time.

And so, the curtain falls. Not with a roaring crowd, but with the lingering silence of what could have been.