Shakib Al Hasan released by Los Angeles Knight Riders
Shakib, now in the twilight of his career, was not among the franchise’s retained players as teams finalised their squads for the upcoming campaign.
In a move that comes as little surprise, Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been released by the Los Angeles Knight Riders ahead of the 2025 Major League Cricket (MLC) season.
Shakib, now in the twilight of his career, was not among the franchise's retained players as teams finalised their squads for the upcoming campaign.
The veteran cricketer, who is currently unable to bowl due to a suspect action, featured in just four matches for the Knight Riders in the 2024 season, scoring 60 runs and taking a solitary wicket.
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The franchise, co-owned by Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, opted to retain only three overseas players—Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, both long-serving Knight Riders stalwarts, alongside Australian left-arm pacer Spencer Johnson.
Shakib is not the only high-profile player to be released, with England's Jason Roy, South Africa's David Miller, and Australia's Adam Zampa also finding themselves without a team. Even Test stars Pat Cummins (San Francisco Unicorns) and Travis Head (Washington Freedom) have been let go, though this is primarily due to their commitments with Australia's Test squad, which will face the West Indies in June—coinciding with the MLC season. Interestingly, Washington Freedom have retained Steve Smith despite his similar commitments.
Despite being released, Shakib and the other players now enter the draft, set to take place on 19 February, where they will have the opportunity to be picked up by another team—or even return to their previous sides. However, given his recent form and inability to bowl, it remains uncertain whether teams will show interest in Shakib as a specialist batsman.
The 37-year-old last played competitive cricket in November 2024 in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. While he was expected to feature in India's Legend 90 League, he ultimately did not take part. His most recent appearance for Bangladesh came in October 2024 in a Test match against India.
Further complicating matters for Shakib is his political situation. Having been elected as a Member of Parliament for the then-ruling Awami League earlier in 2024, he has been unable to return to Bangladesh following the recent political upheaval. While he had hoped to bid farewell to international cricket with a home Test against South Africa in November, circumstances prevented this from materialising.
As the MLC draft approaches, the cricketing world now waits to see whether Shakib Al Hasan will secure another franchise contract—or if this marks the end of his T20 career.
