Shakib's Omission from the Squad: Chief Selector Feels Uncomfortable Discussing Publicly

The Bangladesh squad for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has been selected based on their performance in the recent ODI World Cup. However, after being stuck in a losing streak during the World Cup, there were concerns about whether Bangladesh would even qualify for the Champions Trophy. It was captain Shakib Al Hasan who led the team to victory in a must-win match against Sri Lanka, securing Bangladesh’s place in the Champions Trophy. Despite this, Shakib has been excluded from the squad for the tournament in Pakistan.

On Sunday, Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) chief selector, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, announced the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, and Shakib Al Hasan’s name was notably absent. Although Shakib passed the batting criteria, his bowling action failed the required test. Despite being allowed to play as a batter, the selectors did not place their trust in him as a part of the team.

Regarding Shakib’s exclusion, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu said, "Shakib faced an issue with his bowling action and had taken a test to resolve it. Unfortunately, the result was negative, and now he can only play as a batter. In the selection process, his role was as a batter, and after forming the team combination, we couldn’t include him in the 15-member squad just as a batter."

The chief selector made it clear that Shakib was not part of their planning, saying, "The board president mentioned that anyone who doesn't retire will be considered. After the issue with his bowling action, we didn’t reconsider him. He wasn’t part of our planning, which is why there was no further discussion on this matter. If he were in the team, perhaps we would have received a clearer stance from the board."

To emphasize the reasoning, the chief selector noted that the current squad members were ahead of Shakib at this moment, "It’s not appropriate to openly discuss why such a legendary cricketer wasn’t included in the team. The players in the squad right now are performing better, playing well in domestic cricket, and they’ve earned our trust for that reason."