Image Credit- AFP
Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, will run
in the nation’s 12th parliamentary election after the ruling Awami League
confirmed his nomination. The elections are set for January 7 and he will be
running from his home district, Magura-1.
Currently undergoing recovery, Shakib suffered a
finger injury on November 6 during the World Cup play against Sri Lanka. When
he will return to the field is still unknown.
Bangladesh will tour New Zealand for six white-ball
matches from December 11 to December 31 following their two home Test matches
against New Zealand from November 28 to December 10. It is unclear if Shakib
will visit New Zealand at the end of his first political campaign, having
stated prior to the World Cup that he would not be continuing as the ODI
captain but would still be leading the T20I team. Teams have already begun
turning their attention to their T20 plans in anticipation of the next T20 World
Cup in June 2024. The three T20Is are scheduled to take place from December 27
to December 31.
Shakib leaves Narail and follows Mashrafe Mortaza, the
former captain of Bangladesh who was elected as an MP in the last elections.
This year, Mashrafe was nominated once more, and although Shakib has long been
active in his hometown’s community, he has never truly entered this realm of
public life.
Nonetheless, there is a growing convergence between
politics and cricket in Bangladesh. Nazmul Hassan, the head of the BCB, has
been an MP since 2009, aside from Shakib and Mashrafe. His Kishoreganj
constituency once again gave him the nomination. Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, the
director of BCB, was also nominated for the Moulvibazar seat. In the upcoming
elections, incumbent MP Naimur Rahman, a former captain of Bangladesh, was
unable to win the Manikganj seat.
Among international cricketers, it is also quite rare
for active players to enter politics. Before Shakib and Mashrafe, Sri Lanka’s
Sanath Jayasuriya ran for public office in the 2010 general elections.