- By Namrata Vijay
- Wed, 19 Feb 2025 06:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND vs BAN ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto replied bluntly after being asked about Shakib Al Hasan's absence during the mega-event. Shakib Al Hasan failed to make it to Bangladesh's squad for Champions Trophy 2025 as he couldn't pass the tests as he was reported for suspected bowling action. This is the first time after Shakib made his international debut that the Bangla Tigers would be featuring in an ICC tournament without the services of their star all-rounder.
During the pre-match press conference, Shanto was enquired as to whether they would miss the services of Shakib. To this Shanto bluntly replied, “No”.
Shakib Al Hasan last played in an international match during the Test series against India last year. He also couldn't feature in his farewell Test match against South Africa owing to political unrest in the country. He also didn't participate in the Bangladesh Premier League.
‘Really confident’
Shanto had scored 286 runs in the 50-over format last year and at a staggering average of 71.50 and reckoned that they are confident enough to give the Men in Blue a hard time.
“I think we have to play well in all departments - batting, bowling, fielding - because I think the way we played the last few years in this format, I think we have a good side and, as you mentioned, the conditions are quite similar. I'm confident that we will prepare ourselves well. I hope for the best for tomorrow's match,” Shanto told reporters during the pre-match press conference.
The Bangla Tigers finished as the semi-finalists of the 2017 Champions Trophy, where they lost to India in Birmingham. Star all-rounder Shakib did score a century against New Zealand in Cardiff and helped the team win the match by five wickets. In Champions Trophy 2025, besides India, Bangladesh will also lock horns with Pakistan and New Zealand.