Shakib Al Hasan, captain of the Bangladesh Test and T20I teams, has reportedly decided not to participate in the current 16th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) because of his busy schedule with the national team, which prevents him from playing in many games for his team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
"During the IPL, Shakib may be involved in a number of international tours for Bangladesh. Shakib agreed when KKR proposed that he be replaced by a different player for the season," a KKR representative confirmed the Bangladeshi media who also said that the team will soon release an official statement.
Kolkata Knight Riders were one of the eight teams who participated in the inaugural Indian Premier League back in 2008 and have been part of the tournament furniture ever since.
They have always been based at Eden Gardens and are owned by Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, and they have no shortage of supporters, being based in one of India`s biggest cities.
The Knight Riders have been IPL champions on two occasions, in 2012 and then again in 2014. Interestingly, on both occasions, they actually finished second in the table, before producing their best cricket in the playoffs.
