BCB to communicate with Shakib over Pakistan Tests

Bangladesh Cricket Board's in-charge at cricket operations, Shahriar Nafees, has said that they will communicate with all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan over the coming days.

Shakib is currently playing in the Global T20 league in Canada. Bangladesh have a Test assignment in Pakistan, with the first Test scheduled to begin on August 21. 

Shahriar informed at a press briefing that they are hopeful of starting national team's practice from Thursday, adding that all the coaching staff are gearing up for the upcoming schedules. 

The A Team had begun training in Mirpur today.

"Shakib Al Hasan's NOC is till August 12. On August 13, he is supposed to return to the country and report to us. He still has two to three matches remaining and we will communicate with him and try to know his plans," Shahriar said about Shakib.

There have been security concerns since the fall of the Awami League government on Monday and especially in Shakib's case, who was a Member of the Parliament of the then ruling party. Shahriar informed that Shakib is just a cricketer now.

"Shakib is a cricketer now. Yesterday night, as per president's order, Shakib is no longer a MP. He is only a cricketer now. Every human being has security concerns. Since he has an NOC till 12th, after that he is supposed to join us. BCB's selection panel has not announced the team for Pakistan yet. When they announce the team, if he is picked, there are separate measures and if he is not there then another one. If he is not there then his NOC is not useful," Shahriar opined.

Bangladesh A team are, in the meantime, undergoing training with the likes of Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim among others undergoing fielding and net sessions. Shahriar informed that the A team are slated to leave for Pakistan on August 9 with the start of the first four-day match in Pakistan shifted to August 13. The rest of the schedules of the A team have been bodily shifted.