BAN vs SA: Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will not be taking part in the second Test against South Africa, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed on Friday (April 1).
Shakib had to return home from South Africa after the third ODI due to a family emergency. The BCB however did not remove him from the Test list as they had hoped he would partake in the second Test against South Africa.
Shakib will reportedly fly to the USA on Friday. “He is not available for the second Test against South Africa,” Minhajul Abedin informed Cricbuzz.
“He told us he was going to the USA as he needed to start a family there,” he added.
Initially, Shakib did not want to play in South Africa citing mental and physical fatigue but changed his mind after the BCB’s persistence. After the second ODI, the BCB gave him the opportunity to return to Bangladesh to spend time with family members but he refused as he wanted to play the final game.
After all, after the landmark ODI series victory over South Africa, Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal praised his teammate for staying with the team despite his family emergency. “It takes a lot of patience to endure Shakib. Not many people could do it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be with your family in such a situation,” Tamim Iqbal said.
“For me, his performance was not important. But the dedication he showed was very important. Four or five members of his family are in hospital. He is still playing and smiling with the team. It takes a lot of heart,” he added.
Currently, Bangladesh and South Africa are playing the first Test match of the bilateral series. South Africa got bowled out for 367 runs in their first innings due to the collective effort of the side.
Follow MadOverCricket for the latest cricket news, cricket match updates, live cricket scores, cricket rankings, cricket series updates, and more!
