Hridoy's call to fill the void left by Shakib
While keeping the door open for a return to T20 in the future, he confirmed that he had played his last match in the format in the recent T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh has played international matches without Shakib Al Hasan before. However, this time the situation is somewhat different. During the Kanpur Test in the ongoing Test series, Shakib announced his retirement from this format and T20 cricket.
While keeping the door open for a return to T20 in the future, he confirmed that he had played his last match in the format in the recent T20 World Cup. Whether his wish to play his final Test on home soil will be fulfilled remains to be seen. For now, Bangladesh faces the challenge of moving forward without Shakib.
That challenge begins tomorrow. Bangladesh will face India in the first match of a three-match T20 series in Gwalior. The match will start at 7:30 pm Bangladesh time.
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Today, in a press conference in Gwalior ahead of the match, Bangladesh team batsman Towhid Hridoy addressed the absence of Shakib. Hridoy was asked about the pressure of playing without Shakib.
Hridoy said, "There is always pressure in international cricket. If we dwell on it, we won't be able to perform. We have to follow our process and try to do well. And Shakib Bhai isn't here. Of course, we will miss Shakib Bhai. But everyone has to leave (the national team) one day. I hope we can fill Shakib Bhai's absence well."
Shakib has stated that his last match in the recent T20 World Cup against Afghanistan was his final international T20 match. Playing without Shakib in this format feels somewhat uncomfortable for Bangladesh. With Shakib, Bangladesh's batting lineup extended to number eight, and his bowling was a significant asset as well.
As Shakib's replacement, another spin all-rounder, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, has been included in the T20 squad. Yesterday, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain commented on this in the press conference, saying, "The thing with Shakib Bhai is... since he has been around for so long, it will take some time to adjust, and it will be a bit challenging to set the playing eleven. Because Shakib Bhai provided good balance from both aspects (batting and bowling). We've brought Miraz into the team. I hope Miraz can adapt to that role quickly."
