Shakib returns to Abahani after six years

Shakib Al Hasan is set to appear for Abahani Limited for the first time in six years on Saturday in their Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match against Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club at the BKSP-3 ground.

He arrived in Dhaka on Friday afternoon, having completed his IPL stint with Kolkata Knight Riders. But Shakib didn't say much about the prospect of Saturday's match, only confirming that he will be playing.

Abahani, who have lost four out of eight games and are in seventh place on the points table - will welcome Shakib's return.

Shakib's last appearance for Abahani, in the finale of the 2009-10 Dhaka Premier League, created a flutter. Shakib was blamed for losing a last-ball thriller to arch-rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club, with club officials and fans hounding him inside the Mirpur dressing room. Top Abahani officials, who had vowed never include Shakib again, signed him up at the players' draft in April despite knowing about his prior commitment with Knight Riders.

Shakib did not have a particularly fruitful IPL season this year, finishing with 114 runs at an average of 22.80 and a strike rate of 107.54. His five wickets cost 48.60 apiece, with an economy rate of 7.83. He wasn't picked in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"The team did well but from an individual point of view, I should have done better," Shakib said. "My performance wasn't to my satisfaction. I would have given my best if I had been picked for the last game, but it was the team's decision and they took it in their best interests. So there's no room to feel anything else."

This will also be the first time since the 2012-13 season when Shakib and Tamim Iqbal, Abahani's captain, will play for the same club. The two are known to be good friends, and to have both in the same playing XI represents something of a coup in Bangladesh's domestic cricket scene.