Shakib Will Remain in Everyone's Heart, Says Fahim

Before the start of the Kanpur Test, Shakib Al Hasan announced his retirement from Test and T20 formats. "He will remain in everyone’s heart in one way or another," said his cricket mentor and BCB Director, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, while commenting on Shakib Al Hasan.

Shakib has already played his final T20 match, and his last Test match is approaching. As he bids farewell, Board Director Nazmul Abedin Fahim remarked that, whether positive or negative, Shakib will always be remembered by everyone.

He said, "Even today, while watching his interview, his voice sounded very calm. I know there is a lot going on inside his mind. We all know the contributions he has made to Bangladesh cricket. Some may not acknowledge it upfront, but in one way or another, he will remain in everyone’s heart, whether positively or negatively. It would have been nice if he had played his last Test on home soil and retired with everyone’s love."

Fahim had known about Shakib’s retirement plans from the beginning. "Just as he discussed with the President, he had similar conversations with me. I believe he wasn't just thinking about his own cricket but also about the future of the Bangladesh team. We also discussed who should play in the 2026 World Cup, when they should get their chances, and when they should start. I knew from the start that he planned to retire after playing against South Africa. This wasn’t a sudden decision; it had been discussed some time ago."

Regarding Shakib's retirement, Fahim added, "Even if everything was normal, I think this was likely to happen. He’s gradually realizing that he needs to play less so that he can match his physical capabilities."

Fahim is hopeful that Shakib will perform well in franchise cricket going forward. "In the two recent Tests, I haven’t seen Shakib bat this well in a long time. His batting was very organized. The circumstances in which he batted gave hope. I think we will see him play in franchise cricket in the future, and I believe he will bat well there."