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Shakib Al Hasan, who had signed for Mohammedan Sporting Club ahead of the ongoing Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League season, will be playing for Legends of Rupganj in the super league stage after Mohammedan failed to qualify.
He becomes the third player to change teams as Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz left Mohammedan for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to play in the super league.
Mohammedan, in a press conference on Tuesday, explained that the deal was done mutually after Shakib asked for it.
“We have done it mutually. Shakib contacted us and said that he wanted to play. As Mohammedan have not qualified for the super league, he wanted to play for another team. We asked him which team and he said that Legends of Rupganj had contacted him.
“To us, Shakib wanting to play is important. Shakib wanted a NOC (No-Objection Certificate), and we decided to release him as the Sri Lanka series is coming and Shakib wanted to play,” GM Sabbir, co-ordinator of Mohammedan’s cricket committee, said.
Even though they are releasing Shakib for the remainder of the season, Mohammedan will retain him next season.
“We will retain Shakib next year. All this is happening mutually. Shakib will play for us next season,” Sabbir said.
Shakib returned to Bangladesh on Wednesday and will play in Sheikh Jamal’s clash against Rupganj Tigers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday. He will be playing in all four remaining matches of the tournament.
Despite the move happening mutually, there were concerns if the Bangladesh Cricket Board will allow such a move. But Sabbir believes BCB will not stand in the way.
“Whether BCB will give permission or not is up to them. We have given him permission from the club. I don’t know what BCB will do. They should. BCB wants everybody to play in the tournament. When big players play, the tournament becomes more attractive,” he said.
Shakib’s DPL season was in crisis before the start of the season as he had asked for leave from national team duty, and BCB gave him leave from all forms of cricket till April 30.
After that, Shakib u-turned on his decision and went to South Africa with the national side. But after the One-Day International series, he had to come back home as many of his family members were ill and missed both Tests.