Shakib says every day is exciting for him

Shakib Al Hasan could have been flying to the West Indies for the Caribbean Premier League on Saturday night, but he joined the national team camp in Mirpur on Sunday afternoon while waiting for visa.

For the allrounder, navigating through the streets of Dhaka on his way to the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium or flying to the Caribbean Islands makes little difference

It does not matter if it is his journey into cricket or the walk of life or the streets, every step is thrilling to the 30-year-old southpaw.

Set to leave for the CPL for the third time on the trot, he represents Bangladesh in Twenty20 franchise leagues around the world. What is it that drives him – his professionalism or the call for adventure?

Shakib smiles in response. Not a single day of cricket is average for him. Captivated by the game’s charm, he is irresistibly drawn to the field with immense anticipation.

“It definitely is fun. Every single tournament provides new experiences... the thrill is there too. I’ve been playing cricket for the last 12-15 years. I come to the field with excitement every day... no matter where I play. I play for this pleasure,” Shakib said.

The diversity of his experiences only adds to the enjoyment. The nature and philosophy of the locals in the West Indies appeal to Shakib to a different degree.

“The environment and atmosphere there is different from those in other tournaments. It’s a beautiful place. The seriousness of the game is mostly on the field, but outside of that, not so much.

“Everybody likes to stay relaxed. From that perspective, I actually enjoy it very much.”

Shakib has made the most number of appearances in the Indian Premier League among his participations in competitions overseas. He has been playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders every season since 2011.

The IPL nay be a much bigger competition than the CPL, but for Shakib the difference between the two competitions is essentially only in one aspect.

“What happens at the IPL is that every team has 10 overseas players in the squad. There’s more competition among them over which four will play. Sometimes you don’t get selected for the next game even after playing well in a game for the combination.

“In the CPL or PSL [Pakistan Super League], the foreign players are already selected for the final team. No changes are made unless necessary. I don’t see any difference other than that. The environment and standard is good everywhere," he said.