Surrey’s director of cricket, Alec Stewart, confirmed that the club signed Shakib Al Hasan on a one-match deal for their important County Championship fixture against Somerset. He mentioned that bringing Shakib in was an easy decision given the team’s situation, with several players unavailable due to international commitments.
Surrey is striving to secure a third consecutive Championship title in what marks Stewart’s final season as the director of cricket. They currently lead the table by 24 points ahead of second-placed Somerset, with three matches remaining. This week, Surrey is missing eight key players who are on England duty, participating in both the Sri Lanka Test series and the Australia T20Is.
Among the missing players are Will Jacks and Dan Lawrence, who have played important roles as spin-bowling allrounders this season. Stewart explained that they anticipated losing several players for this match and recognized the need to find a quality replacement. When the opportunity arose to sign Shakib, Stewart said the decision was straightforward due to his skill and experience.
Shakib Al Hasan, known for his all-round abilities, brings a wealth of experience to Surrey’s squad. Stewart is looking forward to seeing Shakib’s impact with both the bat and the ball in this crucial game. Shakib, meanwhile, expressed his excitement about joining Surrey, a prestigious club, and said he is eager to help them achieve their goals for the season.
Shakib’s inclusion follows the departure of Sai Sudharsan, who returned to India for the 2024-25 Duleep Trophy. Additionally, Shakib will use this opportunity to prepare for Bangladesh’s upcoming Test series against India.
Surrey has also managed to convince Tom Curran to return to first-class cricket after a two-year break. Curran had previously stepped away from red-ball cricket in February 2023 for the sake of his physical and mental health but has been named in the squad for the match against Somerset.
Despite the absence of key players like Ollie Pope, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, Sam Curran, Reece Topley, and Jamie Overton, Surrey has managed to include seven international players in their squad. Somerset’s squad will feature New Zealand seamer Brett Randell, who has signed a short-term deal with the club.
Additionally, Lancashire has signed Trinidadian seamer Anderson Phillip for their final three Championship games as they fight to avoid relegation. They had initially pursued Pakistan’s Mohammad Ali, but that deal fell through.
