All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been granted a NOC (No Objection Certificate) to participate in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) but the Bangladesh star has been asked to manage his workload carefully.
Shakib, who is due to represent Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, is currently recovering from a finger injury he sustained in the Bangladesh Premier League. The injury had ruled out the southpaw from Bangladesh’s ongoing tour of New Zealand where the visitors currently trail 0-2 in the Test series.
Although Bangladesh were hopeful of Shakib making a recovery before the third against New Zealand which starts at Christchurch on Saturday, they have now been dashed with the all-rounder confirmed to miss out.
“He has got an injury and as he is recovering from it he has been advised a 10-day rest. So, he will miss the final Test against New Zealand. Following his recovery and if the doctors give him a green signal regarding his fitness, he can play any form of cricket he wants,” Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chairman of media and communication Jalal Younus was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.
Shakib Al Hasan. Image – @SunRisers/Twitter.
With the World Cup in England coming up in a couple of months, there have been concerns over Shakib’s participation in the IPL posing a further threat to his fitness. Younus believes the board should not put any restrictions on players but has kept the option of recalling Shakib early from the IPL open.
“I think there should not be any restriction. I think the players should be allowed to play if he is fit but be careful from picking up an injury. Shakib has already been given the clearance but it might be that he will comeback after playing first few matches. But we cannot restrict a player from playing a tournament. He can always be allowed if the board think he is fit,” he stated.
The 2019 IPL gets under way on March 23 and it remains to be seen if Shakib can recover in time for the early stages of the competition.