BCB allows Shakib Al Hasan to skip series against Sri Lanka to play in the IPL 2021

A day after being acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL 2021 auctions, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has allowed ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to skip the tour of Sri Lanka later this year. The BCB on Friday said that it had received the all-rounder's request to be excused from Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh to play in the IPL. The island nation is slated to tour Bangladesh for three ODIs and the same number of T20s from May 2021 onwards. 

BCB operations chairman Akram Khan has stated that Shakib has been allowed to skip the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka as it does not want to force any player who is reluctant to play. Apart from Shakib Al Hasan, key pacer Mustafir Rahman is the only Bangladeshi player to have bagged an IPL contract in the auction for the 2021 edition which was held in Chennai on Thursday. Shakib will reunite with the Kolkata Knight Riders after the Eoin Morgan-led side acquired the all-rounder for merely Rs 3.2 crores. 

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Bangladesh has already granted Shakib leave to skip next month's forthcoming one-day international and Twenty20 series in New Zealand to be with his expectant wife in the United States. The veteran all-rounder had recently returned to the national camp after serving out a one-year ban for his failure to report multiple corrupt approaches. He became Player of the Series in his comeback ODI series but could play only part of the Test series due to a thigh injury he picked up during the first Test in Chittagong. 

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England players prioritizing IPL?

Several key England players are also set to miss the international Test series against New Zealand to play in the IPL 2021 which is expected to begin in April this year. While there is no clarity whether the tournament will be held in India itself or if it will be moved abroad like last year, several BCCI officials have hinted at holding the tournament in India itself. While the tournament will conclude sometime in June, its finishing stages is set to collide with New Zealand’s imminent Test tour to England.

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The Black Caps are slated to tour England two weeks in advance before their Test series, in order to adhere to their local quarantine norms. While 13 England and New Zealand cricketers combined have already been retained by their franchises, several others bagged hefty contracts at the IPL 2021 auctions. Moeen Ali and Kyle Jamieson are amongst the top names that bagged a deal in Chennai after going under the hammer. 

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