FILE PHOTO: Cricket - First Twenty20 International - Bangladesh v Australia - Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh - August 3, 2021. Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan plays a shot. REUTERS/ Mohammad Ponir Hossain
(Reuters) - Shakib Al Hasan has returned as captain of Bangladesh's Twenty20 team for the Asia Cup and World Cup, the country's cricket board (BCB) said on Saturday, putting to rest speculation over the all-rounder's future due to his ties with a betting company.
Shakib, 35, was reportedly told by the BCB this week to choose between playing for the national team or keeping his endorsement deal with a betting site. He terminated his contract with the company on Thursday.
The BCB also named a 17-man squad for the Asia Cup that gets underway in the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 27, with batsman Sabbir Rahman and veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim both returning to the fold.
The selectors also included Nurul Hasan despite a fractured finger. The wicketkeeper led the T20 side in Zimbabwe last month before being ruled out of the series, which Bangladesh lost 2-1, due to the injury.
Bangladesh play a T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Pakistan leading up to the World Cup in Australia, which starts on Oct. 16.
Asia Cup squad:
Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Anamul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mosaddek Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed, Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ebadot Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nurul Hasan, Taskin Ahmed
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in New Delhi; Editing by Ken Ferris)
