"It seems that unlike in the past, I cannot be playing non-stop cricket like before at my age" - Shakib Al Hasan reflects on his future in cricket 

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan assessed his current stance in the game. He feels he will have to cut down his time on the field to prolong his career. The former national team skipper recently suffered a hamstring injury that effectively ruled him out of the T20 World Cup in the UAE midway.

The injury left him unavailable for selection for the home tour against Pakistan. He assured everyone that he is not thinking of quitting any specific format of the game. However, he admits that such a call might be needed if injuries continue to persist. While speaking to Gulf News, Shakib said:

‘‘It seems that unlike in the past, I cannot be playing non-stop cricket like before at my age - I will discuss this with the coach, physio to find a way. Right now, I am not thinking of cutting down on any format but may be, a decision on those lines have to be taken.’’

He added that despite the constant injuries as of late, it has not managed to thwart his hunger for the game. Shakib added:

‘‘Yes, a number of injuries had bogged me down over the last few years though my hunger for the game still remains the same. The hamstring one is new but I am almost on the road to recovery. We will do a MRI on going back to Bangladesh and then sit down with the management as to when I can get back to competitive cricket."

The 34-year-old is arguably one of the greatest cricketers to represent Bangladesh. Shakib has already carved his legacy on the international cricket circuit as one of the world's best all-rounders.

At a personal level, my target is full recovery as of now: Shakib

Shakib shed light on his potential targets for the near future. He wishes to recover completely to be available for his team and compete in the all-important T20 World Cup that is less than a year away. Shakib added:

‘‘At a personal level, my target is full recovery as of now. It’s going to be an important year for Bangladesh for another World T20 is around in less than a year while there are a number of other important series as well. Let’s hope we can bounce back.’’

Bangladesh were trounced 3-0 by the visiting Pakistan side in the T20I series and will seek improvement in the Test series. The hosts are struggling for rhythm after their successful spell at home prior to the T20 World Cup.