BCB play the Shakib card amid World Cup fallout

It was hardly a surprise that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would reach for a familiar narrative - "we want Shakib in the national team" - to divert public and media attention from the crisis it currently faces after failing to convince the government about the consequences of missing the ICC T20 World Cup.

What followed, however, did little to make the move appear convincing. The issue was raised during a 40-minute press conference after a nearly eight-hour board meeting at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday, but without clarity or coherence.

"Why are we bringing Shakib's issue out of nowhere?" a journalist asked BCB media committee chairman Amzad Hossain, who proceeded to turn the question-and-answer session into something of a spectacle through his over-eagerness at the podium.

Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to replace Bangladesh with Scotland in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, attention had been firmly fixed on the board meeting. It was there that the idea of floating Shakib's name before the media appeared to have taken shape - a calculated move, knowing it would dominate headlines. It is a formula often employed by previous BCB administrations.

Former BCB president Nazmul Hossain frequently singled out Shakib for criticism in public, seemingly to demonstrate his authority over one of the world's most renowned all-rounders, though the reality was often quite different.

A cricketer, speaking to Cricbuzz earlier on condition of anonymity, said Nazmul would regularly call players after such comments and ask them not to take it personally, explaining that the statements were meant to pacify the media rather than reflect his true views. Shakib, the cricketer added, understood this dynamic better than most and handled it through much of his career, aware that the public posturing was largely theatrical.

Faruque Ahmed, who succeeded Nazmul as BCB president, also repeatedly expressed his desire to see Shakib represent Bangladesh again. But he consistently maintained that the decision rested with the government, which ultimately did not allow Shakib to return and play due to his political identity, having been associated with the ousted Awami League regime.

Even so, the statements served their immediate purpose, generating headlines, if nothing else.

Shakib himself remained sceptical. Speaking to Cricbuzz earlier, he said he was unsure whether the board's interest in bringing him back was genuine or driven by ulterior motives, suggesting it had more to do with his star value than a sincere desire to reintegrate him.

"I cannot say whether they are really keen or not because I cannot read other people's minds," he said during Faruque Ahmed's tenure, when asked if the renewed discussion around his return felt more like a stunt than a serious plan.

On Saturday (January 24), Amzad Hossain insisted that the board was genuinely keen to bring Shakib back, pointing to the cricketer's own wish to finish his career in Bangladesh.

"We had an agenda item about the 27 contracted players. During that discussion, a director proposed Shakib's name. He said Shakib is interested and that he has spoken to him," Amzad told reporters after the meeting.

"From our side, if Shakib plays, he must meet fitness and selection requirements. The legal issues are for the government. But from the board's side, we want Shakib. That is the main point," he added.

Addressing further questions, Amzad said: "The board has unanimously decided that, based on Shakib Al Hasan's availability, fitness and accessibility, and whether he can be present at the venue, the board and the selection panel will consider him for future selection. If Shakib participates in other global tournaments, the board will provide NOCs as required."

What the BCB did not clarify, however, was whether it had secured or even sought a government mandate before publicly announcing plans to bring Shakib back - a prerequisite that previously kept him out of the national set-up after the July movement that led to the removal of Awami League leaders from power.

"The president (Aminul Islam) will talk to the government about the legal matter," said Asif Akbar, seated beside the media committee chairman.

The announcement raised eyebrows, with many viewing it as another instance of wishful thinking by BCB officials, floated in public to deflect criticism after disappointing the cricketing community by missing out on the World Cup, a decision widely perceived as politically driven.

It is also difficult to ignore the political undertones of the Shakib discussion itself. With a general election scheduled for February 12 and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party emerging as frontrunners, there is growing belief that a change in government could pave the way for Shakib's return, given the party's stated reluctance to mix sports and politics.

Several analysts believe that if Shakib does return under a new regime, the BCB will be keen to claim credit, insisting that efforts to bring him back had been underway long before circumstances aligned.

Whether invoking Shakib's name will ultimately help the board salvage credibility after its failure to secure Bangladesh's participation in the World Cup remains to be seen. For now, the BCB has ruled out any legal challenge to the ICC's decision.

"We would not go for arbitration," Amzad said when asked if the board was considering legal action.

For Bangladesh, the World Cup dream is over. For the BCB, it appears to be a matter of continuing to reshuffle the deck, hoping the next card distracts from the last failure.