Shakib allowed to skip Sri Lanka tour for IPL

Bangladesh have allowed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan to skip a Test and one-day international series against Sri Lanka to play in the big-bucks Indian Premier League, their cricket board said on Friday.

“Shakib gave us a letter stating that he would like to skip the series against Sri Lanka to play in the IPL. We accepted his plea as we don't want to force someone who is reluctant,” BCB operations chairman Akram Khan told AFP.

Shakib was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for 32 million rupees ($441,304 dollars) in an auction held in Chennai on Thursday for the next IPL beginning in April.

It has become increasingly common for players to miss international duties to play in the lucrative IPL Twenty20 tournament.

England for example could be without Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler and others for the start of New Zealand's tour of England in June.

Bangladesh are expected to travel to Sri Lanka in April and May for a Test series, before playing them again at home in a three-match one-day international series shortly afterwards.

The series was originally scheduled for late 2020 in Sri Lanka, but was delayed after both sides failed to agree on the duration of the quarantine period for the visiting players.

Bangladesh have 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.

In January, Shakib returned to international cricket to face the visiting West Indies, after serving out a one-year ban for his failure to report multiple corrupt approaches.

He became player of the series in his comeback one-day international series but could play only part of the Test series due to a thigh injury he picked up during the first Test in Chittagong.

- AFP