DHAKA – Bangladeshi cricket skipper Shakib Al Hasan secured a parliamentary seat on Sunday in a sweeping win during a general election that witnessed opposition boycotts.
The versatile 36-year-old, who captains across all cricket formats, triumphed over his opponent by a substantial margin of over 150,000 votes in the Magura constituency in western Bangladesh, according to Abu Naser Beg, the district’s chief administrator.
While there’s been no immediate response from the cricketer turned politician, a member of the ruling Awami League and a candidate aligned with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is poised for an anticipated fifth term, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chose to abstain from the election.
Before the election, Shakib admitted feeling a sense of anxiety despite facing no significant challenges. “The competition and challenges are always there, be it a small team or big team,” he said.
His political campaign necessitated a temporary departure from cricket, prompting inquiries about his ability to balance roles as both a lawmaker and a cricket captain. Shakib countered such speculation during his campaigning, stating, “Did I retire? If I haven’t retired, then where does this question come from?”
Shakib, the sole individual to have held the number-one all-rounder rank in all three cricket formats simultaneously by the International Cricket Council, began his international career at the age of 19 in 2006.
