New Delhi: Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan who continues to be his team's biggest star even in the twilight of his career has mapped out his retirement plans ahead of the ODI World Cup.
At the age of 36, Shakib is still dominating the world of cricket as he currently tops the chart of T20I all-rounder rankings.
But the Bangladesh star is eying the 2025 Champions Trophy as his last assignment. Shakib is likely to stop playing Test cricket first and then follow that with ending his innings in ODIs and T20s.
"The 2025 Champions Trophy for ODIs and the 2024 T20 World Cup for T20Is. Tests may be sooner. Maybe (after the World Cup). I will retire all at once, but I will stop playing each format one by one. I will announce my retirement after the 2025 Champions Trophy," Shakib said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
But before he proceeds towards his retirement a major challenge lies ahead of him as well as the Bangladesh team.
The Tigers are gearing up for the 50-over World Cup which is slated to begin on October 5. But before that, Bangladesh will have a chance to tweak their squad and fine-tune their players in the practice matches.
Bangladesh will square off against Sri Lanka on Friday at the Barsapara Stadium, Assam to make final preparations for the mega tournament.
On a surface that is likely to favour spinners, Shakib's left-arm orthodox style of spin will put opposition batters in situations that will pose various questions to them.
In the upcoming World Cup, Bangladesh will start their journey against Afghanistan on October 7 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.
Bangladesh's ODI World Cup 2023 squad: Shakib Al Hasan (C), Litton Kumer Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Vc), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
—ANI