Dhaka, Bangladesh

Bangladesh T20I skipper Shakib Al Hasan will be contesting parliamentary election next year after getting a confirmation on his nomination. Shakib will be contesting from the ruling party Awami League. The elections are scheduled to be held next year in the month of January. Shakib will be contesting from Magura-1 constituency where polls are scheduled to take place on January 7.

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The veteran all-rounder, who led the team in the recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023, is currently recovering from the finger injury sustained during the tournament. He had already announced that he won't be leading the team in ODIs after the World Cup in India but continues to remain the T20I skipper. His return timeframe to cricket is not known as of now.

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Bangladesh is currently hosting New Zealand for two Tests from November 28 to December 10. After the series, the Blackcaps will host Bangladesh for six white-ball games from December 11 to 31. The teams will first play ODIs and then three T20Is from December 27 to 31. The teams are shifting focus to T20Is with T20 World Cup set to be played in June 2024.

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With polls scheduled in first week of January, it is not clear if Shakib will travel to New Zealand. 

The relation between cricket and politics is not new in Bangladesh. Former skipper Mashrafe Mortaza had contested elections last year from Narail and became a Member of Parliament (MP). He has got nomination this year also from the same constituency. 

Apart from the two, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Nazmul Hassan has been an MP since 2009 and will again be contesting elections this year from Kishoreganj constituency. BCB director Shafiul Alam Chowdhury will also be contesting elections from Moulvibazar.

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Former skipper Naimur Rahman, who is an incumbent MP, however, failed to get a nomination from Manikganj seat for the upcoming elections.