Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan is set to make his return to T20I cricket next month against Zimbabwe, according to chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain.
Shakib has not played a T20I or ODI since November last year due to an eye condition and a finger injury, but he returned to international cricket in the Chattogram Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
The 36-year-old is expected to arrive in Dhaka at the end of this month and could play one or two Dhaka Premier League matches before joining up with the Bangladesh T20I squad. He is likely to be included in the squad for the first T20I against Zimbabwe on May 3 in Chattogram, but he will miss the first match of the series as he is currently playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
Shakib’s return to the Bangladesh T20I side is a major boost for the team, as he is one of the most experienced and successful players in the format. He has played 98 T20Is for Bangladesh, scoring 2243 runs and taking 120 wickets.
Bangladesh will play the first three T20Is against Zimbabwe in Chattogram on May 3, 5 and 7, and the last two T20Is in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.
The Bangladesh T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series will be announced on April 28.
